Looking cool is just the tip of the iceberg for Mikaela Shiffrin, Travis Ganong and the rest of the US Ski Team as they debut their new racing suits at the World Championships.
Even more, they want everyone to think about climate change.
The team’s predominantly blue and white suits feature an image of chunks of ice floating in the ocean. It’s a concept based on a satellite photo of icebergs breaking due to high temperatures. The suit was designed in collaboration with Kappa, the team’s technical clothing sponsor, and the non-profit organization Protect our winters (POW).
The Americans will wear the suits during the World Championships in Courchevel and Meribel, France, which begin on Monday with a women’s alpine combined race and end on February 19.
“While a racing suit is not a solution to climate change, it is a step to continue the conversation and show that US Ski & Snowboard and its athletes are committed to being a part of the future,” said Sophie Goldschmidt, President and CEO of US Ski & Snowboard.
Global warming has become a cold, harsh reality in ski racing, as mild temperatures and a lack of snow result in the postponement of several World Cup events this winter.
“I’m just worried about a future where there’s no more snow. And without snow, there’s no skiing,” said Ganong, who grew up skiing on Lake Tahoe, California. “So that’s very close to my heart.”
What worries Ganong is the sharp annual changes at some of the World Cup’s most famous venues.
“I mean, it’s just kind of scary when you look at how on the border (these events) are even still possible,” said Ganong, who was since 2006 in the US team. “Places like Kitzbühel (Austria) have so much history and so much money attached to this event that they do everything they can to host the event.
“But that also raises a whole different question about sustainability: is that what we should be doing? … What kind of message do we need to convey to the public and to the world about how our sport is adapting to this new world that we live in?”
The suits feature a POW patch on the neck and the organization’s snowflake logo on the leg.
“By coming together, we can educate and mobilize our snowsports community to push for clean energy technologies and policies that are the fastest to reduce emissions and protect the places we live and the lifestyles we love.” a statement from executive director Mario Molina, whose organization includes athletes, business leaders and scientists trying to protect places from climate change.
Ganong said a group of ski racers released a letter to the International Ski Federation (FIS) hoping the governing body would take a stronger stance on sustainability and climate change.
“They should be at the forefront of adapting to this new world and making it better too,” Ganong said.
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