Cancellations, activists, freakouts: the Ski World Cup is turning into a fiasco

These are days, even weeks, to forget for the premier class of ski racing. While the last World Cup competition under the Matterhorn had to be canceled on Sunday, a scandal that has little to do with sport is still reverberating in Gurgl.

19 November 2023

From: dpa/sportnews

Henrik Kristoffersen stormed through the finish area in Gurgl, wild as hell. It was only with great difficulty that carers and police officers were able to stop the ski star. The Norwegian was beside himself with anger and had his sights set on those climate activists who had just interrupted the final of the World Cup slalom in the Tyrolean mountains with an action. It didn't take much for Kristoffersen to be at the throats of the protesters in Gurgl. And once again the sport took a back seat in this previously damned ski winter.

When Kristoffersen raged in North Tyrol on Saturday afternoon, the downhill skiers in Zermatt-Cervinia had long since left the racing slope below the mighty Matterhorn without having achieved anything. Like both men's races a week earlier, the women's speed opener also fell victim to the weather: Due to strong gusts of wind, no competition was possible, neither on Saturday nor on Sunday. “This is very disappointing and hard,” said OC boss Franz Julen.

Horror results on the Matterhorn

The world association FIS wanted to bring new impetus to skiing with spectacular descents in the shadow of the world-famous mountain - but the so-called speed opening at an altitude of more than 3000 meters with a start in Switzerland and a finish in Italy will always be a priority for the association around the controversial president Johan Eliasch more on the PR disaster. In 2022 the premiere was canceled due to a lack of snow, this time too much fresh snow and the wind caused the cancellations on both weekends. A total of eight races were planned over the two years - not a single one took place.

"We will not give up" Franz Julen, OC boss Matterhorn descent

“We are not giving up,” announced Julen defiantly, referring to a five-year contract until 2026.

Zermatt/Cervinia didn't see a single World Cup race. © APA/afp / MARCO BERTORELLO

For a long time, various players from the ski world have been calling for the Zermatt-Cervinia races to be moved from the changeable autumn to spring. No chance, Julen made it clear: The huge effort required to prepare for the race – such as setting up grandstands and tents in the high mountains – was not possible in the middle of the season. And the hotels in Zermatt and Cervinia would then be full of tourists and would have no space for athletes, supervisors, helpers and journalists.

Climate activists storm the target area

280 kilometers northeast, the men were able to hold their first World Cup of the season on Saturday after three previous cancellations. But many people won't remember the Gurgl slalom because of the sport - apart from perhaps the Austrians who took part in it Victory for Manuel Feller ahead of Marco Schwarz and Michael Matt celebrated a triple success.

Rather, a protest by the climate group “Last Generation” heated up tempers and made veteran Kristoffersen angry for a few moments (click here for the video). Shortly before the end of the second round, several people stormed the finish area, daubed the snow with orange paint and held up protest banners. Security guards and police officers took the activists away, and at least one person was dragged from the target lying down.

“Four racers had their races ruined” Henrik kristoffersen

Behind the barrier there was a confrontation with Kristoffersen, who was still in his racing gear, cursing wildly and loudly and trying to get through to the activists. “I am someone who takes action when I notice injustice,” the 29-year-old wrote on Facebook afterwards. The fight against climate change must be supported, he added – but not like this. “At least four racers had their race ruined today and that is an injustice in my eyes.”

At the time of the action and the ten-minute interruption, five athletes were still at the start and had to wait - except for the winner Feller, everyone made mistakes afterwards and sometimes fell far behind in the rankings.