To think a Winter Olympics should have snow?

[ThinkThereShouldBeSnow]

AIBU to think that you need natural snow to host a Winter Olympics

How can an area that only receives an average of 21cm a year of snowfall be awarded the Winter Olympics?

Just the skiing venue needs 1.2 million cubic metres of snow for Olympic events.
Making artificial snow is both energy and resource-intensive. Around 222.8 million litres of water have been used to make the snow in an area that already is short of water.

I completely understand why the ROC wanted to host, but why did the Olympic committee agree?

Maybe the UK will be awarded it.

@LawnFever

I probably sound incredibly naive but I hadn’t even realised this was happening with fake snow, wtf

This is absolutely ridiculous, and environmentally an absolute nightmare, why on earth has this been allowed??

Because a lot of people make a lot of money out of it.

Sad, but true.

The next one is in Milan? Do they have snow?

The non-snow events (ice skating, ice hockey, speed skating, curling etc.) can be held anywhere that has an indoor ice rink or three. Most will be held in Milan and nearby Assago.

The snow events are being held at Cortina, Bormio and Livigno - all established ski resorts in the mountains.

My dh laughs but I always say MN is better than Wikipedia, thanks Havanananana very interesting

I agree. Just a joke.

@Havanananana

The next one is in Milan? Do they have snow?

The non-snow events (ice skating, ice hockey, speed skating, curling etc.) can be held anywhere that has an indoor ice rink or three. Most will be held in Milan and nearby Assago.

The snow events are being held at Cortina, Bormio and Livigno - all established ski resorts in the mountains.

Ooh thank you!

They had a really interesting piece on Ski Sunday the other week about the way the Italians are preparing for hosting. They're very focused on making it as sustainable as possible. They've got fake snow machines if they need them, but they use the water from the snowmelt on the mountain itself, so there's no need to bring water to the venue in the event there's not enough natural snow, and they're completely solar powered.

They were also talking about not wanting to build any new facilities, and how they're bringing existing ones up to spec where possible. They seem to be being much more sensible about the whole thing!

I’ve been watching for for the first time today and realised the extent of the fake snow. It’s just ridiculous! I love the Winter Olympics but feel uneasy watching it this time. Was thinking how much nicer it is an a traditional winter sport location. Italy next time will be fab - I’ve skied in Bormio, great resort, amazing skiing and scenery

Whistler is 2 hours ish from Vancouver depending on traffic, it's not uncommon. The issue is that nobody wants to host now

@Havanananana

The next one is in Milan? Do they have snow?

The non-snow events (ice skating, ice hockey, speed skating, curling etc.) can be held anywhere that has an indoor ice rink or three. Most will be held in Milan and nearby Assago.

The snow events are being held at Cortina, Bormio and Livigno - all established ski resorts in the mountains.

Cortina d'Ampezzo hosted the Winter Games in the 1950s. More recently, Torino hosted in 2006. The Alps and the Dolomites tend to do OK for natural snowfall.

As far as ice sport goes, Assiago has one of Italy's leading ice hockey teams (OK, so it's not the NHL, but there's an established tradition in the game) and if Milan doesn't currently have a hockey team, it certainly did in the recent past (it was briefly suggested as a candidate for Russia's Kontinental Hockey League, which is desperate to add markets in Western Europe but tends to find that established hockey nations are happy with their own domestic leagues).

Could Britain host it one day? Probably not, because we have no real interest in most winter sports. Therefore we wouldn't win enough medals to persuade anyone to spend the money, and would be seriously embarrassed in several sports. But I could imagine, for example, Dubai having a go if they can build an indoor ski arena (think something like the Tamworth snowdome but on a far, far greater scale) that would suffice. Not desirable, IMHO, but not unimaginable.

@IglesiasPiggl

It's the same with the World Cup. It has been awarded to a country with a completely inappropriate climate so now it will take place during the main European football season (November) and disrupt all that purely to award it to Qatar.

There are many excellent reasons why the World Cup shouldn't be going anywhere near Qatar, but the idea that it might disrupt the European leagues isn't really one of them. Don't countries in the southern hemisphere tend to play in their winters? So why should, for example, Brazil, disrupt their own season to host the World Cup in 2014? And why should South American countries disrupt their seasons every four years to send teams to the World Cup?

I nearly wrote that on an earlier reply @andyindurham! I reckon there will be a Winter Olympics in the Middle East one day, just because they have the money. The Chill zone in Dubai already irritates the hell out of me just thinking how much power it must use keeping it frozen.

@mnahmnah

I agree. But I have more issue with the fact that China is hosting it at all. Like any country with horrific human rights abuses hosting the summer or winter Olympics, world cups etc

This - but there seems to be double standards as far as China is concerned. They have an appalling regime and an appalling human rights record but for example, UK universities are happy to take millions off them. Imagine if South Africa had tried to host the Olympics during the Apartheid era.

YANBU at all. We've had three winter Olympics in a row now without sufficient natural snow, it's ludicrous. Given the number of legitimate snow resorts in the USA, Canada and Europe, there is no need to go to places like Beijing or South Korea.

The natural way of doing things would be to alternate between USA, Scandinavia, Canada, Alps or other Europe, and repeat. That way there would be natural snow and the broadcasts would be on at a time when people actually want to watch them.

I’m uncomfortable with this Winter Olympics too. The environmental cost must be vast.

All credit to the athletes themselves, but snow sports is so niche now - only certain countries really excel in it. Most of the sports are too expensive/niche to have wide participation etc. I prefer the summer olympics because even the most average kid could run and ‘get’ what it’s all about.

It's appalling. I thought Sochi was as had as it could get, but it just gets worse.

I reckon that if the winter Olympics are going to continue, they just need to pick a location and stick w it - probably somewhere in Canada.

I prefer the summer olympics because even the most average kid could run and ‘get’ what it’s all about

In the countries that get snow and ice (Scandinavia, Canada, USA, Alpine Europe, and parts of many other countries including New Zealand, Chile, Spain, and Turkey that have snowy winters, the average kids 'get' skiing and snowboarding as naturally as running, or play ice hockey to the same extent that kids in temperate climates play football.

I live in the Alps. The kindergarten and primary-aged kids here spend a week being instructed on skis every January and many go to the local ski club in the afternoons in the same way that British kids go to football, netball or Brownies/Cubs.

@Havanananana

I prefer the summer olympics because even the most average kid could run and ‘get’ what it’s all about

In the countries that get snow and ice (Scandinavia, Canada, USA, Alpine Europe, and parts of many other countries including New Zealand, Chile, Spain, and Turkey that have snowy winters, the average kids 'get' skiing and snowboarding as naturally as running, or play ice hockey to the same extent that kids in temperate climates play football.

I live in the Alps. The kindergarten and primary-aged kids here spend a week being instructed on skis every January and many go to the local ski club in the afternoons in the same way that British kids go to football, netball or Brownies/Cubs.

Sort of. Not every kid in France skis for example. Even so, it is a small amount of countries for the scale of the event.

I would also prefer it, like others, for it to be held in snowy countries

Not many ordinary kids from any countries participate in the summer Olympic events like clay pigeon shooting, sailing, equestrian eventing or fencing. It's not all "hop, skip and jump" at the Summer Olympics.

I think those ‘posh’ events are a bit daft too to be honest. Fencing is broadening it’s range and at least doesn’t require snow cannons on mountains 😂

Watching the highlights now of the men’s downhill and wondering whether it is different skiing on the fake snow. I’ve skied on fake snow at indoor places and real snow at resorts in Europe and couldn’t tell really. But professionals at this level and to this extent is a bit different! Do you think it’s strange for them?

@Havanananana

I’m a teacher at a standard secondary rural comp. We’ve had students get to quite a high standard in all of those! Including an Olympian and national team members in other sports. It’s surprising what kids get involved in

YADNBU

I feel appalled at the situation, only curling & skating should proceed in these circumstances (maybe).

I remember reading about env. damage at the Sochi Olympics in IET magazine of all places -- by all accounts, Beijing is no better. I can't support this.

Climate change be damned, eh?

China can fuck off.

I ain’t watching.

@mnahmnah

Watching the highlights now of the men’s downhill and wondering whether it is different skiing on the fake snow. I’ve skied on fake snow at indoor places and real snow at resorts in Europe and couldn’t tell really. But professionals at this level and to this extent is a bit different! Do you think it’s strange for them?

I watched the cross country skiing and they were saying that it was different skiing on fabricated snow, but they’ll all have trained on it and be in the same boat. The altitude can affect some people too.

I’d think the air quality could affect people too. I went to Beijing several times when I was cabin crew and the smog is awful. Particularly over Chinese New Year and winter!

Yanbu, it's horrible to watch the skiing taking place on the one white hill with snow, in the background every other hill (even much higher ones) is green.