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Taylorsville Journal

Ski & Snowboard News / US Ski teams' new “iceberg” race suits

Feb 17, 2023 07:44AM ● By Harriet Wallis

It's a whole new concept in race suits. The blue and white race suit is based off a satellite photo. It shows icebergs breaking up and floating in the ocean. The design draws attention to climate change.

The new suits are being showcased at the World Championships – and US racers are winning. It was Gold for Mikaela Shiffrin in the World Championships Giant Slalom. And the US team won its first Gold ever in the Mixed Team Parallel besting Norway, the usual winner of the event.

Mikaela Shiffrin in an iceberg suit on course to win Gold


Here's a translation of the event. Mixed Team includes both men and women, with two racers in head to head competition on parallel courses. Click here to watch clips of the race.

Three organizations have teamed up for this unique race wear design – U.S. Ski & Snowboard; Protect Our Winters (POW), a non profit that urges outdoor enthusiasts to recognize climate change and help protect the sports they love; and Kappa, a high end Italian manufacturer of technical sportswear that created this race suit to bring attention to the changing climate.

A warming winter is one of the biggest threats to the future of snowsports. In the 2022-23 winter, teams around the world have had to cancel races due to lack of snow. Some courses are made entirely of machine-made snow, and athletes are racing in 50-degree temperatures in the middle of winter, says a press release.

This year, it's iceberg design race suits. Will there be a new message on race suits in the future? Kappa will outfit all teams with outerwear, speed, and race suits for U.S. home and FIS World Cup events through the 2032 season. The company will outfit all U.S. Ski & Snowboard athletes who will compete in the 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Italy and the 2030 Olympic Games.


The Mixed Team Parallel showcasing the iceberg suits

 

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