Green pistes, not only on the Brauneck: the future of winter sports is being discussed in Bad Tölz
Created: 01/15/2023, 03:00 p.m
By: Andreas Steppan
Skiing on the Brauneck was possible this winter on a white strip in the middle of the green – until the last downhill run had to be closed on January 6th.
© Matthäus Krinner
The timing of the information event in the Kurhaus Bad Tölz makes the explosiveness of the topic clear: “Your winter.
Your sport” falls in the middle of a green January.
Bad Tölz
– Only green and brown, but not a tiny bit of white can currently be seen when looking at the landscape.
Since Epiphany, Brauneck has said: "No skiing is possible." But even if no winter sports can currently be practiced in the Isarwinkel - it's still talked about.
The “Your Winter.
Your sport” invites you to the information event “Winter sports in the Tölzer Land” in the Tölzer Kurhaus on Thursday, January 19th.
Among others, the German Ski Instructors Association, the German Ski Association and the association “Snowboard Germany” want to fly the flag for winter sports.
Winter sports: Snow is no longer there "when we need it"
"We know that we cannot continue as before," says Peter Hennekes, General Manager of the German Ski Instructors Association, in an interview with our newspaper.
Both he and Walter Vogel, Marketing Director at the German Ski Association (DSV), are optimistic.
Vogel says there have been bad winters in recent years too.
"But I am convinced that the snow will come this year."
However, Vogel is also clear that one will have to be prepared for larger fluctuations.
"We have to get used to the fact that the snow isn't exactly there when we need and want it - preferably during the Christmas holidays." That's why it's important to have alternatives up our sleeve.
In youth sports, this could be competitions on roller skis or inline skates, and in tourism, the offer of a broader spectrum of activities.
Consideration: Shorter Christmas holidays, longer carnival holidays?
Hennekes also reports on preparations and adaptation strategies that have been going on for a long time.
The Ski Instructors Association is increasingly shifting its range of training courses backwards.
Glacier ski courses are rarely held in October or November, but often continue into April.
Experience shows that there is more snow then.
From Henneke's point of view, hobby skiers should also change.
“You often have empty pistes in March, even though the snow conditions are best then.
But most people are drawn to cycling.” For Hennekes, shortening the Christmas holidays and lengthening the carnival holidays would at least be worth considering.
"You should leave the beaten path."
He also reports on the "nature sports academy" initiated by the Ski Instructors' Association, which serves to promote closer networking of "commercial nature sports service providers", such as mountain guides, paragliding, kayaking, snowboarding or skiing instructors.
With a broader base, these providers could react better to weather fluctuations and secure their livelihood.
Ski Instructors Association: "We can't avoid snowmaking"
Hennekes sees a future for winter sports in Tölzer Land and Isarwinkel – “definitely in the next ten to 15 years”.
But one thing is clear: "We won't be able to avoid snowmaking." But there will "always be enough cold periods," he says.
He estimates that even more snow could have been produced this year during the cold period at the end of November/beginning of December if the current energy crisis hadn't been followed "as gently and as resource-savingly as possible".
Under "normal" circumstances, he was convinced, enough white ground could have been created "that Brauneck would not have had to be closed".
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Of course, it is legitimate for a society and a region to consider “whether they want that”.
In any case, he himself stands up for it.
"Otherwise everyone who wants to do the sport would have to drive across the border."
It is particularly important to the Ski Instructors' Association to "bring children into nature and create a bond with nature".
He points out that 180,000 children learn to ski in Germany every year.
"It's not just about energy and snowmaking, it's also about people."
Feelings of happiness while skiing
It is also important to Walter Vogel to “bring young people into the snow”, as he puts it.
Because: “Snow does something to nature and does something to people.” “Feelings of happiness” are associated with skiing, gliding and cornering.
"And we're happy if many people try it."
In addition, according to Hennekes, the intensity and large-scale snowmaking in the Tölzer Land is not comparable to the conditions in South Tyrol.
Vogel also praises the advantages of the local winter sports region.
With the Brauneck, it has a ski mountain as well as "great cross-country skiing areas" and still offers relatively secluded places.
the event
"Winter sports in the Tölzer Land" next Thursday, January 19, in the Kurhaus Bad Tölz begins at 7 p.m.
Organizers are "Tölzer Land Tourismus" and the department for tourism and culture of the city of Bad Tölz.
The program includes lectures and panel discussions on the future of winter sports.
Participants include District Administrator Josef Niedermaier, Mayor Ingo Mehner, biathlete Leonhard Pfund (Bad Tölz Ski Club), Walter Vogel (German Ski Association), Peter Hennekes (German Ski Instructors Association), Antonia Asenstorfer (Brauneckbahn), Peter von der Wippel ("Sport Peter" ) and Holger Strobel (Sportjugendherberge Bad Tölz).
Admission is free.
We ask that you register at www.toelzer-land.de/dwds.
You can find more current news from the region around Bad Tölz at Merkur.de/Bad Tölz.
