Looking Forward

Bakija said she is expecting the ski community to do more in the future to reduce skiers’ environmental footprint and keep the sport safe.

“We’re going in the right direction in terms of banning fluorinated waxes,” she said, “but there are definitely more steps. Do World Cup skiers need fifteen pairs of skis? Not really. Do we really need even CH waxes? Probably not. As long as the playing field is level, it’s still going to be a good sport. You don’t lose what’s great about skiing when you lose the waxes.”

Survey respondents shared similar sentiments, noting that they “really have never seen that great of a difference,” and therefore that there’s no reason not to move forward with the bans.

Beyond waxes, Newell said the ski community should do several things to ensure a future for the sport. Less infrastructure should be built, and large events like the upcoming Beijing Olympics should move toward carbon-neutrality, he said.

But he’s also looking to see a change in the culture of the sport.

“We need to breathe some new blood into these organizations,” he said. “There’s going to be an insurgence of younger athletes who are much more socially conscious and mentally conscious than the ones before them. I have no doubt that the changes will happen over time.”

Greene said she hopes skiers at the high school and professional level will set good examples.

“When you reach the highest level of your sport, you have a responsibility to be a role model and activist,” she said. “We don’t just want good skiers. We want good people.”