The start of the Ski World Cup is irritating

Oh, let's have a blast despite all the prophecies of doom. Let's celebrate vigorously, exuberantly, cheerfully and carefree into the next season. Let's plunge into winter. First of all, into the World Cup ski winter. The start in Sölden is this weekend.

It's hard to believe it's October again this year. And it's not too early to embrace winter. It's almost too late again. The Christmas tree for Vienna has just been cut in South Tyrol, as is tradition. And do you look in the supermarket? There are already Advent calendars at the checkout. In the hardware stores, the various reindeer compete for the best place on the shelf. The gnomes are still pushing forward and fighting energetically for the best positions. In the household goods store, the cookie cutters are ready to hand and the emotional Christmas music is guaranteed to be ready. Flower shops offer Advent wreaths. And nativity scenes, probably made from a 3D printer, accommodate the refugees Mary and Joseph with their little Jesus. The three kings from the East were still good and nice back then and even brought gifts for the boy. Frankincense and myrrh. A good star watched over everything. It doesn't look like winter in Sölden at the moment. This doesn't bother the organizers and FIS. © APA / EXPA/JOHANN GRODER

Now it must and should first shine over Sölden. So it's really not too early for elegant turns in the powder snow. Stop. Typo. It must mean: For elegant turns on glacier ice, as it still exists. On a surface that even the average consumer with their normal skis and worn edges wouldn't even dream of tackling. Unless you plan on a free flight to the nearest hospital with the Pelikan 1 rescue helicopter.

Excavators dig through the glacier ice The protagonists are ready. The International Ski Federation (FIS) is letting criticism of the early event date slide off like water on a car after a new wax treatment. Glacier. Opinions now differ on this word. The water reservoirs from the mountains have recently received a large number of visitors at the Rettenbachferner in Sölden and at the Theodulgletscher in Zermatt (a spectacular descent is scheduled to take place there in November, the new super winter month). Monsters with powerful caterpillars and huge shovels have dug into the Swiss ice like huge vermin and have removed rubble in Tyrol (that used to be under the ice) so that skiers can get a flat slope there. Of course that didn't look particularly good.

Excavators in glacier regions are not good advertising. At first glance it looks like senseless destruction in sensitive regions. However, one should approach the matter with a sense of proportion. Two or three excavators doesn't mean the end of the world. The felling of the rainforests in Brazil or Bolivia, the rise in sea levels caused by the warming of the earth, the breaking off of the ice at the poles, the many forest fires and the increasingly aggressive weather phenomena with floods, storm surges, hurricanes and earthquakes: these are a few of them Problems that should concern us much more. <a data-caption="Der Rettenbachferner wurde in den letzten Wochen mit Schneedepots aus dem Vorjahr und Gletschereis für den Saisonauftakt präpariert. © APA / EXPA/JOHANN GRODER" data-fancybox="inline-179479" target="_image" href="https://s3-images.sportnews.bz/_images/scale/1280x1280/img/2023/10/der-rettenbachferner-wurde-in-den-letzten-wochen-mit-schneedepots-aus-dem-vorjahr-und-gletschereis-fuer-den-saisonauftakt-praepariert.jpg"> The Rettenbachferner has been prepared for the start of the season in recent weeks with snow deposits from the previous year and glacier ice. © APA / EXPA/JOHANN GRODER

And not to forget: animal agriculture. It causes 15 percent of all greenhouse emissions in the world. Cows are now practically our natural enemies when it comes to human survival. Much more dangerous than wolves, bears, lions or crocodiles. The few excavators are negligible, especially since experts are of the opinion that the Theodul Glacier and the ice on the Rettenbachferner will probably disappear within our lifetime. Without the use of an excavator.

The FIS would have to set an example In practical terms, the International Ski Federation cannot contribute much to climate change. Well, a sensible schedule and less travel by plane would be a contribution. But more, much more, everyone who criticizes the timing of the races being far too early is concerned with the signal that the association could and should set by adapting to the changed circumstances.

But the lobby that outsmarts winter in October and early November, even without snow, is large. Industry and tourism still go hand in hand like inseparable lovers. The signals are clear. Like every year, we should all be reminded that we should not only get our beloved old cookie tins out of the cupboard, but above all our skis from the cellar. Better yet, throw them away and buy new ones. And we should also book our winter vacation, because look, look, you can already go skiing here. This is the message that is being spread boldly and brought to life by the appearance of the entire world elite. Yes, they're all there. Nobody drops out because the contracts with the associations and companies are clearly defined. No appearance, no income. And there are also World Cup points and prize money. With a bit of luck in the weather it will even snow, so that the wounds from summer operations could be elegantly covered up. The Rettenbachferner in Sölden. A natural gem looks different. © APA / EXPA/JOHANN GRODER

The motto is therefore clear. As mentioned at the beginning, we let it rip again and again. After all, who knows how long things will last. 90 races are planned this season. Never that many before. The impression arises that the party should be celebrated again as usual before the place collapses. Eyes shut and go for it. A few skiers, especially those who are no longer active, are now raising their index finger in warning. Otherwise, everyone surrenders to the moment, as if nothing had ever happened in the recent past. No hurricanes, no drought, no water shortages, no resulting famines in a distant world where there is no skiing in October and November. Of course, the ski elite are already taking care of the resulting future existential problems for their sport. Later. There's no time for that right now.

About the author: Sigi Heinrich The award-winning sports journalist (including winner of the German Television Prize), book author and Eurosport commentator from the very beginning (since 1989) dedicates his column “Sigi's Spitze” to the entire diversity of sport and also enjoys poaching in foreign regions. Sometimes with a smile and a wink, sometimes serious and thoughtful or deliberately provocative. There should be something for everyone.

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The start of the Ski World Cup is irritating

The newly early start of the World Cup season for the Alpine ski elite definitely no longer fits into our crisis-ridden world, which is plagued by ever-increasing environmental disasters. Our columnist Sigi Heinrich sees no signs of insight from the International Ski Federation (FIS).

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