From Alaska Idrod to Winter Olympics, Climate change was at risk Many winter sports traditions. Some managed to adapt When increasing the unpredictable temperatures and snow, but very deep Dutch traditions may be about to disappear.
Elfstentocht, or “Back to Eleven City”, It is the legendary ski race More than 200 km and an entertainment route that passes through the natural ice cream in the region of Freisia, northern Netherlands. But in 2025, she will be 28 years old since the last version. according to A new climate studyRepeating chances are to reduce quickly.
The tradition that is celebrated once every four years can now be repeated once per generation.
Elfstedentocht requires perfect conditions to be kept. You must make the cold enoughDuring enough time, ICE acquires 15 cm along the entire road, So you can withstand the pressure of 15,000 skiing Fans who participate in this event.
To form Which – which Ice thick And stable, there should be at least 15 consecutive days of temperatures less than 4.2 ° C, with dry conditions. In the twentieth century, you can expect Elfstentocht Every four or five years. According to a new study published in “Climate Change”, Elfstedentocht can now be conducted only once every 32 years.
Hans Fisr YRthur Petersen, Two researchers Those who worked with the Royal Meteorological Institute in the Netherlands (KNMI) in this study, warns of that Heating the planetWhich causes chaos on weather patterns, making the ideal conditions more and more difficult to achieve.
Cultural icon on thin ice
Since its official institution in 1909, Elfstedntocht was held only 15 times, the last time in 1997. Since then, there have been several occasions when it was about to be held, as in 2012, but Channelsnever Frozen enough. “We still have some unconventional situations,” said Hillk de Fis, of Knmi, D. Volckerc.
“But then the winter of the previous weeks was not very coldAnd the water was still relatively hot. Then a few other days are needed to freeze everything. “Nevadas can produce ice, but ice does not become thicker.”
Other models that use different prediction techniques are more than some extent Premature About Elfstentocht. Kni estimates that optimum conditions can occur every 14 years. But researchers agree on one thing: if emissions Greenhouse gasesElfstedentocht can become the remains of the past.
Yes Emissions It is reduced Greatly, the possibility of Elfstedentocht will remain as is the case now in the coming decades. If emissions increase, there is no other elfstedentocht after the end of this century, according to the study. “Opportunities to give (The appropriate conditions) decreases with the phenomenon of global warming, regardless of how to calculate this possibility, “VRIES said.
Winter sports are threatened everywhere
Holland They are not the only ones who face winter problems. All parts of Europe and outside, Winter sports It is increasingly vulnerable to climate change. According to the 2024 report issued by the World Meteorological Organization, only 10 countries will have a perspective Climate For snow sports in 2040.
Activists also drew attention to how skiing stations and sporting events contributed to the problem, not just suffering. Last year, a group calculated thatnursing From Audi from the World Cup ski Cup will contribute 103000 and 144,000 tons of equivalent emissions carbon dioxide to highlight environmental contradictions.
Meanwhile, the Alps areas are much invested inArtificial snowIt is a process that consumes a lot of money, energy and water, and in other infrastructure improvements to maintain ski seasons. But for events like Elfstedentocht, there is no artificial solution. It is a natural ice or nothing.
