Chamoli: Amidst preparations for the civic elections and the National Games, significant news has emerged from the state’s winter destination, Auli.
Despite all the preparations and selection of the state team, the National Winter Games, initially scheduled to be hosted at Auli from January 29, have been postponed due to insufficient snowfall. This decision has led to disappointment among sports lovers and participants.
Skiing has been hampered by inadequate snowfall once again
Auli had received significant snowfall on 9 December and lighter spells afterwards, however, the accumulation of snow has been insufficient to conduct skiing competitions. This is not the first time that snow sports in Auli have been affected by a lack of snow. The alpine skiing events, planned to take place in Auli’s Nanda Devi Skiing Slope, have been hampered by inadequate snowfall once again.
National Winter Games have been cancelled four times in the past
Notably, the European artificial snow-making system installed on the slopes during the SAF Winter Games 2010/11, at the cost of approximately Rs. 6.5 crores, has not been effective in covering the slopes with artificial snow. As a result, Auli’s international skiing slope, despite being equipped with costly artificial snow-making equipment, continues to rely on natural snowfall. Consequently, the National Winter Games have been cancelled four times in the past, and the hosting of International FIS Skiing Race Events has been cancelled twice due to similar issues.
Postponement of the National Winter Games affects the image of Auli as winter sports destination
Ajay Bhatt, general secretary of the Winter Games Federation confirmed this postponement. Vivek Panwar and Ravindra Kandhari of the Uttarakhand Ski and SnowBoard Association, along with local skiers, have expressed their disappointment over the postponement. They emphasized that the frequent postponement of the National Winter Games due to natural snow dependency cast a shadow on the image of Auli as a winter sports destination. They urge that the organization of the games should not rely solely on natural snowfall.
Organizers remain optimistic for favorable snowfall in coming months
Currently, the National Winter Games are under threat once again due to the lack of sufficient snowfall. Although the schedule for January 29 has been postponed, there is hope that if there is adequate snowfall in February and March, new dates for the snow games can be announced. However, the organizers remain optimistic that favorable snowfall in the coming months will allow the rescheduling of the games, ensuring that athletes and sports enthusiasts can once again enjoy the thrilling winter sports events in Auli.
