Gut-Behrami (32) criticizes the early start of skiing – Gisin (30) also wants a reconsideration: T-shirt, swimming trunks and ski racing? “That doesn’t make sense”

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Lara Gut-Behrami (32) does not mince her words. “If the people in the finish area are walking around in T-shirts and those sitting in front of the TV are in swimming trunks, there is no point. That doesn’t make them want to go skiing themselves.” What the Ticino woman is aiming for is clear: the start of the World Cup at the end of October in Sölden (Austria).

Although this was postponed by a week by the FIS (October 28 and 29), that is not enough in the eyes of Gut-Behrami. Ultimately, the trend of recent years is clear. «We have less snow in November and a lot in April. For many athletes it would make sense to start in mid-November.

FIS must have the books

Since the turn of the millennium, the season opening has taken place in the Pitztal every year – always in October. The idea behind the early start: on the one hand, to stimulate ski sales and on the other hand to arouse the anticipation of skiing. Gut-Behrami doubts whether this is the case today.

“When people watch races at home in 25 degrees, they don’t consider it skiing. That only happens when it gets colder and snow falls – that would also be a better advertisement for our sport.” For Gut-Behrami it is clear: the FIS must have the books on the ski calendar.

“You tend to work against nature”

Michelle Gisin (29) also agrees. “Some things can also be optimized in the field of travel. We don’t always take the shortest route from one World Cup location to another. Overall, I get the impression that people are working against nature instead of making progress in the face of climate change.”

The Engelberger woman notices that skiing on the glaciers in the summer is becoming increasingly uncertain. She is aware that as a ski racer she is not particularly environmentally friendly. “It’s rather the opposite. I’m just trying to find climate-friendly solutions.” For Gisin it is clear: you should not just look at the coming years, but think 10 or 20 years ahead.

Tabula Rasa would be necessary

When asked whether, like Formula 1, she would be in favor of a training ban in certain periods – for example in the summer – Gisin replied: “It would be an option.” For example, you can create a ‘snow-free zone’ from July 1 to August 31 to protect nature.

The problem is obvious: riders like New Zealand’s giant slalom heroine Alice Robinson train in July and August in the Southern Hemisphere during winter – you can’t stop them from doing so. And anyway, how do you check if someone is traveling on glaciers?

Questions about questions. For Gisin it is clear: “You have to do Tabula Rasa once. Think carefully and build from scratch.”

Source : Blick