Night shifts on the slopes: the backstage work of the track crew

The higher the level of the athletes, the more challenging their demands for track preparation. Grooming a racetrack is extremely challenging for organizers, as during the competitions, slopes have to be extraordinarily compact to ensure a fair and equal race for all competitors.

However, while some of the preparation work can be anticipated, grooming and watering operations can be implemented only shortly before the event and snowfall before the races require a great amount of work by the organizers and the whole crew. In addition, while a small amount of fresh snow can be removed from the racetrack by the slip crew quite easily, greater amounts of snow are far more complicated to manage, as it has to be handled by groomers. They have to remove the freshly fallen snow from the slopes very carefully in order not to ruin the hardened racing surface below and to prevent any holes or breaks in the track from forming during the competitions.

Thus, very often it occurs that the track crew have to work all night long to have the slopesready for the competitions taking place the following day. Alberto Ghezze, Sport & Race Director of the Organizing Committee “Fondazione Cortina 2021”, supervises the preparation of the slopes before and during the event and declared to be very satisfied with the work of his Team: “We have a fantastic team who will make sure to have perfect tracks during the World Ski Championships”. 

Their skills were proved already during the first race days, as heavy snowfall required the crew to work day and night to clear and prepare the racetracks. Athletes praised the effort and stunning professionalism of the track crew, highlighting their great work. Indeed, skiing and ski competitions are in Cortina's DNA and the mountain town is very well known for the great racetrack conditions in general, praised every year by the athletes during the Women’s Ski World Cup.