Ski stars also have to queue

Because if you don't have any of the coveted training slopes in Hintertux, on the Pitztal Glacier (both in North Tyrol) or in Zermatt and Saas Fee (Switzerland) reserved for the long term or assigned through some kind of relationship, then there's no point in the oh-so-necessary ski training. Of course, national teams always have a preferred corridor somehow and somewhere. But because many ski clubs and state teams want and need to train in order to be prepared for the ski races in December and especially afterwards, the rush to the glacier ski areas is enormous.

At the beginning of this week in Hintertux the crowds were so great (see picture) that one had to queue for up to 2 hours before one could strap on the skis because one of the cable cars was canceled. It goes without saying that this is not conducive, especially for young ski kids, to pursue their hobby with passion. It is no consolation that even superstars like Sofia Goggia, Marta Bassino & Co. did not receive preferential treatment in Hintertux and had to queue like everyone else. And because the cable car on the Senales Glacier is being renovated and will be canceled as a top training location at least until Christmas, the rush on the remaining glaciers in Europe is even greater.

What about the Stelvio Pass? And what about the Stelvio Pass? Ski training is currently only possible there on the highest slopes of the SIFAS lift company at around 3400 meters. What hardly anyone knows: A private hotelier from Vinschgau offers ski training on an area allocated by the state of South Tyrol, which is used enthusiastically by top foreign nations such as Austria, Switzerland, Norway and Germany. By the way, the “Azzurri” never train there, and even the South Tyrolean state squad is only there in a few drops. According to the motto: Good enough for Kilde, Kristoffersen, Gut-Behrami and Haaser, apparently not demanding enough for Goggia, Paris & Co.

A diary entry from Andreas Vieider.

Summer skiing has not been possible on the Rettenbachferner in Sölden for a long time. Opened in 1975 as a glacier ski area, climate change also became an overwhelming enemy in the Ötztal. That's why Sölden was still a ghost village yesterday - despite the Austrian national holiday. Right here, where until 10 or 12 years ago between the World Cup opening and after All Saints' Day thousands of ski tourists ushered in the winter with non-stop parties, it is now dead. The hoteliers, who are struggling with a second huge problem, are correspondingly desperate: there is a lack of staff everywhere. There are hardly any cooks, not enough service staff, and even cleaning staff are in short supply. This is one of the reasons why many companies are closed even during the World Cup. Because: Only opening it for 2 or 3 days is not worth it.

The hotels in Stubai and Hintertux are making a lot of money. In general, the usefulness of ski training on glaciers would be a topic of discussion. Especially for VSS (U10 and U12) and Grand Prix ski children (U14 and U16). In the past, before the artificial snow season, ski training began logically - with the first natural snow. Nobody was on skis before Christmas, the races in the youth series started in January, everyone was at the same good or equally bad level in terms of form. That is unthinkable today, and now ski children who are not yet able to fasten their ski boots on their own are bred and trained like future Odermatts or Shiffrins. But that's the way time goes. Unfortunately.

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Ski stars also have to queue

Crying ski children, angry club trainers, impatient ski stars, stressed lift staff - anyone who is in an almost desperate search for glacier ski areas with training slopes these days and weeks has to have a lot of patience.

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