Attention wax control!: Fluorine offenders are being hunted down during the Engadine Ski Marathon

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The 54th Engadine Ski Marathon will take place next weekend – and trouble is looming.

Just like the professionals, popular runners should not exceed the fluoride limit in ski wax. Anyone caught with values ​​that are too high risks severe penalties: disqualification, mention by name in the rankings and even a ban from competition for two years.

At the start of the 2023/2024 season, the FIS issued a strict ban on fluorine waxes for cross-country skiing, biathlon, alpine skiing and ski cross. This applies to all international FIS races. As the “Aargauer Zeitung” reports, this arrangement also applies to this year’s Engadine Ski Marathon.

«The fluorine ban was announced by the FIS for all international races. The Engadin Ski Marathon is considered an international FIS race, so the popular runners also belong to the category of FIS runners,” Adriano Iseppi (50) confirms to Blick.

The problem is: fluorine wax is still widely used among amateur runners. In addition to the fact that fluorine wax is still available at retail and ski services, skis waxed with fluorine in recent years pose a problem: the residues can still exceed fluorine limits. If you want to be on the safe side as a participant, you should have your skis professionally cleaned.

Uncompromising thanks to strict testing procedures

With systematic control, the test procedure is carried out as strictly as possible. All elite athletes plus amateur runners are randomly tested, resulting in a test sample of approximately one percent of all participants. Judges will also be placed on the course to observe the runners on individual routes and note any abnormalities, which will then be tested for fluoride after the race. This is how racing boss Iseppi explains it.

The reason for enforcing Engadine’s precise regulations: “The Organizing Committee for Fairness, Climate Friendliness and Health Promotion is confident that the regulations are enforced to this strict extent,” Iseppi explains.

The background: Fluorine compounds are not biodegradable. Therefore, the number of fish in the Engadine lakes has decreased significantly in recent years. Fluorine not only has a harmful, even carcinogenic effect on nature, but also on humans.

Women’s run as the main event

Last Sunday’s women’s race clearly showed that the organizers of the ski marathon do not joke, but act consistently. 23 athletes were tested, four results were positive. This was a bitter disappointment for the organizing committee, which experienced significant additional work as a result of these tests. The four athletes were disqualified and banned from competing for two years.

The tests a week later are now even more intensive. Above all, honesty is appealed to.

Start in Silvaplana instead of Maloja

The Engadinner will not take place on the original route this year. As the organizers announced on Thursday, the start will be moved to Silvaplana. The fresh snow in combination with high temperatures hinders the preparation of the trails at Lake Silvaplane. Because this also applies to Lake Silser, the start had already been postponed from Maloja to Sils.

Source : Blick