Lausanne (AFP)
The lack of snow at low altitudes and higher than average temperatures forced the organizers of the Lausanne Winter Youth Olympic Games to shorten the piste of the alpine ski races on Monday, but they remain confident.
In Diablerets (canton of Vaud), despite the efforts to transport fresh snow to the bottom of the piste, the organizers of the 3rd edition of the Winter YOG, in consultation with the International Ski Federation (FIS) had to resolve to go up the finish line several hundred meters.
"The conditions at the top of the runway are perfect, the low temperatures at night make it possible to operate the snow cannons. But the rain which fell at the bottom of the runway at the end of the week degraded the snow," AFP explained. Ian Logan, the Director General of the YOG, who says he is "extremely optimistic".
Organized in three Swiss cantons (Vaud, Valais and Graubünden) and in France, with biathlon, Nordic combined and Red Jumping (Jura), the YOG will bring together 1,880 athletes from 15 to 18 years old from January 9 to 22.
- truck noria -
As a result, despite a slew of trucks carrying white gold, the special slalom, giant slalom, super-G and team slalom events will be held on a shortened track.
"We are a few degrees above the usual temperatures," says Logan to explain these difficulties, to which are added the effects of the foehn, this dry and hot wind, which blew after a period of snow and extreme cold.
Further east, at Grandes-Roches, in the Vallée de Joux, where the cross-country skiing events are to be held, fresh snow is also lacking.
Monday, under a desperately cloudless sky, the thermometer indicated + 8 ° C, according to an AFP journalist on the spot. Trucks and tractors dumped m3 of snow stored a little higher to complete the 2.5 km track.
Another 3.3 km track must also be snow-covered, before the cross-country skiing events which start on January 18.
"The 2.5 km track will soon be ready and will hold thanks to the low temperatures at night. And if we cannot finish the 3.3 km track, all the races will be run on the first course," added Mr. Logan who says "confident thanks to the quantities of artificial snow stored".
"There is no plan B, he adds. As at the Winter Olympics, if the conditions do not allow to contest an event, it is simply canceled."
- skating on Lake St Moritz -
Another temporary source of concern is Lake St Moritz (eastern Switzerland), which hosts open-air speed skating and whose layer of ice formed late. "It takes between 20 and 25 cm of ice for the events. We are 20 cm and each night we gain 1 cm, so it is on a very good track," adds Logan.
At worst, if the lake of St Moritz, on which horse races are organized every year in February, could not finally be used, the organizers found a fallback solution on a small lake, one kilometer away.
As for the Tuffes, the French Jura station where the biathlon will take place, Christian Winkler, spokesperson for the International Biathlon Federation assured AFP on Monday: "There is enough snow in the stadium and on the course and everything is on time for the YOG ".
A few days before the start of the events and despite conditions far from winter, "we are sure that the competition will take place according to the program and in good conditions," he added.
© 2020 AFP