Who knows best the tracks at the World Cup in alpine skiing in Jasná? They are neither racers nor their coaches. Every centimeter of the slopes is known to those who pass them several times a day in the cabin of a tracked vehicle for snow treatment - the so-called snowmobile.
Two of them shared their experiences from this extremely important work needed for the overall success of the race in the Low Tatras. They were also affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, as they did not receive help from recreational skiers. "The tracks were not treated as they were during normal days. If the resort is full of skiers, they compact them and they undergo daily modifications. The slopes are gradually forming, but now we had to do it all by ourselves," revealed Michal Kupčo. His colleague Juraj Setey immediately continued: “We had a little more work than we would have in a normal season. Now we are doing it more suddenly, otherwise it would be possible continuously."
It seems that they would enjoy new snow in this direction, but currently the opposite is true. "If the resort is normally open and snow falls, we are looking forward to it. Now it's more of a complication," remarked Michal Kupčo with a smile. "We now have to push fresh snow away, either to the edges or completely away," added Juraj Setey.
Snowmobiles are their loyal friends and they know them down to the smallest detail. "We have to spread the new snow evenly over the entire slope, but we have a special system in the vehicles that shows us the amount of snow. We can get the snow right where we need it. Technology helps us a lot in this direction," explained Michal Kupčo. And his colleague added: "We monitor the height of the snow the most, tilt indicators also help us."
In their work, they both go to extremes. "Snow piles are sometimes even nine meters high. So we have to go with the snowmobile to such a height if there is a lot of snow. For us, however, it is already a routine," said Michal Kupčo with his stoic calmness.
And what are the most important parts of their vehicles with the exception of the special systems mentioned? "There's a main blade on the front of the mobile. The belts help us to move, but they also help to adjust the snow," explained Juraj Setey for the less knowledgeable.
