Olympic champion Veronica Stepanova in her column on the website, she explained why it will be more difficult for Russian skiers to win after their return to the international scene.
By decision of the FIS, Russian and Belarusian athletes have been suspended from international competitions since March 2022 due to the situation in Ukraine.
“I cannot and do not attempt to speak for wrestlers, rowers or archers. Everyone at the highest level has their own nuances of preparation. I would love to read in first person how important the break from international competition is (or not) to them. Here are my thoughts on why it will be harder for us skiers to win in the future, safety concerns aside.
In Russia, the snow is completely different, much slower than in Europe. Not everywhere. In Kamchatka we have fast, “European” snow, but at the main competition venues (Siberia, Urals) the speeds are completely different. Adapting to other rhythms is not easy, it requires weeks, months of special work in the very places where the competitions take place. Example: we need to prepare for the 2026 Olympic Games in Italy in Italy. In theory, it is possible to create an analogue of the Val di Fiemme trails in the region of my native Avachinsky volcano, but I have a question: who will finance this? The most modern ski complex in the country, located in the village of Mirny, currently costs a billion rubles, I read. And it’s near Kazan, and in Kamchatka everything will be even more expensive
Skiing is a technical sport. Everyone has seen what happens, even to the strongest, if they guess incorrectly with skis or lube. While we train our muscles and practice our techniques, our servers compete with their Norwegian, Swedish and German colleagues. Over the two seasons that we have spent, our rivals have invented new grinds (special structures, “patterns” on the sliding surface of skis), new waxes that will give an advantage in a particular race,” Stepanova wrote in his column on .
Source : MatchTV
I am Sandra Jackson, a journalist and content creator with extensive experience in the news industry. I have been working in the news media for over five years. During this time, I have worked as an author and editor at various outlets producing high-quality content that attracts readers from different demographics.
