Elite Skier Björn Sandström in Östersund Rejects Flight – Takes Electric Car to Pyrenees

"Slask, skit och dimma" – see skier Björn Sandström's concerns for the future of the sport.

Published today 05:30

The Swedish Ski Federation is working to combat global warming to save snow. However, elite skier Björn Sandström from Östersund believes the efforts are too slow. Recently, he drove an electric car to the Pyrenees to minimize his climate impact.

"We are killing our own sport," he states.

Sandström is alarmed as he witnesses climate discussions being passed around among various stakeholders.

"Time is running out, and we athletes must do what we can – now," he says. Many athletes are caught up in their own bubbles, making it easy to push the issue aside.

An elite athlete, Sandström also works on climate issues within his company and the Ski Federation.

Calls for Better Planning

He insists that changing the planning of training camps and competitions should be possible. "If competitions are held at high altitudes, all athletes should travel there for training, and early-season competitions now require snow cannons."

He also emphasizes the need to replace all flights with electric cars or trains.

Chose Electric Car Instead of Flight

Recently, he and his partner rented an electric car for their trip to the high-altitude training camp in the southern Pyrenees, driving there and back from Östersund.

"We then had about one ton of emissions instead of six tons," Sandström says.

National Team Chief: "Working Intensively"

Anders Byström, chief of the national team at the Swedish Ski Federation, states via text to SVT Jämtland that the national team is working on several initiatives to reduce their environmental impact. They have invested in a more environmentally friendly trailer for the waxing team and are "intensively working" in various working groups with the international ski federation, FIS, to better geographically coordinate competitions.

Moreover, they aim to think about logistics while competing in Europe to avoid unnecessary returns home whenever possible.

Regarding travel options, he mentions that "we have a travel policy that encourages the use of the most environmentally friendly alternatives, such as trains domestically, electric cars, or carpooling."

• Cross-country skiing
• Östersund