LAKE LOUISE, Canada (AFP) — Global warming's threat to some of alpine skiing's renowned races - and what can be done to remedy the problem - has become a hot topic among the sport's elite.
"Our sport is changing. It is not winter wonderland everywhere," says Canadian ski veteran Emily Brydon. "Last year everywhere in Europe we raced it was white down the middle and then green and brown on either side".
Brydon said the only thing that has saved ski racing is the ability for ski stations to make their own snow but even that is getting more difficult for resorts in lower elevations.
Panorama, British Columbia is situated high in the Canadian Rockies region but they were forced to make snow in order to host slalom and giant slalom races last month. The resort maximized its 70 snow making machines to get the slope ready for the top female racers in the world.
"If there was no such thing as snow making there would be no such thing as ski racing," Brydon said.
But where skiers are really noticing a big change is in Europe. Already this season races in Finland were cancelled due to a lack of snow and unseasonably mild temperatures.
The World Wildlife Fund recently stated that the window of opportunity for change is closing fast predicting that "we have less than 10 years to do something about it."
But there are some on the ladies circuit who aren't so pessimistic and say weather patterns go in cycles.
"It is a problem but last year we had a very bad winter in Austria and everyone said it was global warming. But this year we have had an awesome winter so far," says World Cup slalom champ Marlies Schild of Austria.
Schild recognizes the threat from global warming but doubts claims by the World Wildlife Fund that the sport could be is headed down the tubes.
"I think the problem is more with the cars," Schild said. "I don't know if we will have no snow 10 years.
"We had bad winters in Austria many years ago. People talk about a bad one we had 40 years ago. Every 20 years there is not so much snow and then a lot of snow."
Patrick Lang, a ski journalist and son of World Cup ski racing founder Serge Lang, is monitoring the situation closely.
"It is true," Lang said. "Most ski areas under 1,500 metres have more and more problems.
"Lots of resorts in Europe can't use the man-made guns because it is too warm. The problem now is with the ski areas that are under 1,500 metres."
Lang said low-lying resorts like Kitzbuehel, Germany and Garmisch, Germany that are both below 1,000 metres will eventually lose their ability to host World Cup races.
"I have been travelling in Europe for 12 years and I see a difference in the glaciers and how much they have receded," Brydon said. "I am not a scientist so I don't know whether it is global warming or the warming curve but there is change and it is scary."
Brydon said the Canadian skiers have been trying to do things in their personal lives to help the environment.
Last year she paid 600 Canadian dollars out of her own money to an environment programme called the carbon offset fund.
"We are calculated on how much carbon dioxide we put into the atmosphere individually each year. The dollar figure comes from the number of times we take a flight and the number of kilometres we drive our car. The money goes toward environment research."
American Julia Mancuso, last year' runner-up in the World Cup downhill, is also looking at the big picture.
"(Skiers) are trying to do our best to bring awareness about cutting back by encouraging ski resorts to use more wind power and renewable energy resources," Mancuso said.
Spain's Carolina Ruiz Castillo said the skiing conditions are getting progressively worse.
"Last year's season was very different and we had lot of problems on the courses because of no snow," Ruiz Castillo said. "I don't know if that global warming is the problem but I see change."
Schild said it is time for people to start leading by example and not just paying lip service to the problem.
"Every body says we need to do more but nobody does. That is the problem," Schild said.
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