Coronavirus Impact on Skiing & Snowboarding

18th January 2021

Last modified on May 13th, 2021

The team at PlanetSKI is reporting all the news & developments as it affects the snowsports world in our ever-popular rolling blog. If you want to see its impact and the response of skiers & snowboarders then read on… UPDATED

Sunday 24th January

Skiing in Australia Looks Off the Cards For Foreign Visitors This Year

It looks like any skier or snowboarder wanting to head Down Under this summer will be disappointed.

Australia is unlikely to open its borders fully in 2021 even if most of its population gets vaccinated this year as planned, said a senior health official.

“I think that we’ll go most of this year with still substantial border restrictions,” said the Department of Health Secretary, Brendan Murphy, he told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation on Monday.

“Even if we have a lot of the population vaccinated, we don’t know whether that will prevent transmission of the virus,” he said, adding that he believed quarantine requirements for travellers would continue “for some time”.

Skiing in Australia. Image © PlanetSKI.

It is likely to be a similar situation in New Zealand.

According to the BBC New Zealand has reported its first case of Covid-19 outside of a quarantine facility in more than two months.

A 56-year-old woman who had recently returned from Europe tested positive 10 days after completing two weeks in isolation in Auckland.

Saturday 23rd January

Oslo Tightens Restrictions

The Norwegian capital and surrounding areas are being placed under tight restrictions following an outbreak of the coronavirus variant first identified in the south east of England, B117.

Non-essential shops were closed from midday on Saturday and will not re-open until 1 February at the earliest, the government said.

Norway went into lockdown ealry as is seen as one of the countries that has done well in its battle with the virus.

It has a population of around 5m and has seen 544 deaths.

It currently has just 51 confirmed cases of Covid-19 per 100,000 of population over a 7-day period – one of the lowest in Europe.

Ski resorts are now open with social distancing and other requirements in place.

Norway. Image © PlanetSKI.

UK Students in Isolation in France after Covid-19 Cases Are Trainee Instructors Heading to Switzerland

The group is in isolation in Vallorcine near Chamonix after 16 out of the group of 26 tested positive.

Locals in Vallorcine are reported to be anxious and there are concerns in Verbier.

The course organiser says all the rules have been strictly followed.

The story is reported in the Mail Online and is backed up by information we have received and checked at PlanetSKI.

It is reported that a member of the group began to feel unwell on Tuesday and tests were carried out where the positive cases were identified.

All the trainees are now in isolation and strict protocol is being followed.

All staff at the hotel have been tested and the results are said to be negative.

Vallorcine is a small village with 400 locals and is near the Swiss border.

The course is being run by Peak Leaders and offered by the Verbier ski school, Element.

The trainees were due to be taking exams with the British Association of Snowsport Instructors, BASI.

Both organisations have put out statements.

See here for the full details:

UK students in isolation in France after Covid-19 cases are trainee instructors heading to Switzerland

Crystal Ski Cancels Holidays Until March 5^th

The UK’s largest ski tour operator pulls the plug as questions grow whether there will be a ski season at all.

Covid-19 and international travel restrictions to EU and Schengen countries means travel is not likely any time soon.

“We’re sorry to confirm that due to the impact of COVID-19 and the restrictions now in place, we can’t operate our holidays to Andorra, Austria, Bulgaria, Canada, Finland, France, Italy, Norway, Switzerland or the USA for departures up to and including 5 March 2021,” said Crystal Ski Holidays.

“We’re sorry for the disappointment these updates will cause, and we hope we can take you to the mountains soon,” it added.

Other holiday operators are in a similar position.

Inghams cancelled its holidays until the end of February a while back.

Club Med, that operates mainly in France, has also cancelled its ski programme until the end of February.

See our full story here:

Crystal Ski Cancels Holidays Until March 5^th

Crystal Ski Holidays

Another Ski Instructor Course in Austria with Britons Attending Sees Outbreak of Covid-19

The outbreak happened in a group of 172 people on a course in Flachau in the Ski Amade region in Salzburg.

It is reported that Britons are among dozens on a ski instructor course who have tested positive for coronavirus.

All instructor courses in Salzburg have now been suspended.

109 quick tests were carried out on Thursday of which 29 were positive.

Two British nationals were amoung those who tested positive.

There is no indication they were the source of the spread.

PCR tests were then carried out on all 172 participants on the course and results are expected shortly from Austrian health body AGES.

It is unclear if the outbreak is the variant B117 first identified in the south east of England in December 2020.

“We want to be certain whether the people are infected with the British variant of coronavirus,” said state medical director, Petra Juhasz.

The group of 172 ski instructor trainees is now isolating in Pongau in Salzburg.

Ski instructor courses are defined as vocational training and are legal during the current lockdown in Austria.

After the latest outbreak the governor, Wilfried Haslauer, has held talks with the Salzburg Professional Ski and Snowboard Instructor Association, SBSSV, and temporarily closed down courses.

See here for the full details:

Another Ski Instructor Course in Austria with Britons Attending See Outbreak of Covid-19

Friday 22nd January

14 UK Students Staying Near Chamonix Test Positive

They were staying in the village of Vallorcine and were part of a group of 26 British students.

The authorities are now trying to trace and test all people who have been in contact with them.

When the group arrived in France they had all tested negative.

16 students have so far been tested with 14 turning out positive.

The 10 other test results are being awaited.

It is not clear if they have the more contagious variant of the virus first detected in SE England.

There are no other people staying in the residence in Vallorcine.

All staff have been tested and the results are said to be negative.

Some of the students travelled on a TGV train between Lille and Lyon.

The authorities say it is now a question of carrying out the large work of tracing contact cases.

Swiss Ski Lift Operator Sacked for Revealing Poor Coronavirus Compliance

Marco Eberhard worked at the resort of Bergun in the canton of Graubunden.

He was fired for breaking his relation of ‘loyalty’ to the company by speaking to the media.

He spoke to Swiss media claiming skiers were acting as if the virus didn’t exist and saying ski resorts should close.

“There are huge queues in front of the lift, nobody keeps their distance and at most every third person wears a mask.

“What I am experiencing now makes me doubt humanity.

“The hygiene plans are only there to cultivate their image, so that the ski lifts can be left open.

“The ski areas must be closed.”

He had worked at the company for three winter seasons.

See here for more details:

Swiss Ski Lift Operator Sacked for Revealing Poor Coronavirus Compliance

No Spectators at FIS Alpine World Ski Championships in Cortina

The event is due to take place from February 9th to 21^st and will see the best skiers in the world battling it out.

It has now been confirmed that it will be held behind closed doors with just race teams, organisers and some media present.

Despite the news, the organisers of Cortina 2021 insist the “show must go on”.

Cortina 2021

“The moment we all hoped to avoid has arrived,” said a statement from Cortina 2021.

“The Cortina 2021 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships will go ahead, but without live audiences.

“Although we were always hoping for a different outcome, the news did not catch us totally unprepared – the show must go on.

“During these weeks of uncertainty, we have been working on our Plan B and, step by step we have created a virtual world where we will soon be ready to welcome you.

“We will bring the World Championships to your home, we will bring you on to our slopes, we will bring you up close and personal with the athletes, our speakers will bring you to the heart of the action, and we will take you behind and in front of the stage of the largest international event organized by Italy in the COVID era.

“We need you, your enthusiasm, your cheer, your applause, and all your emotional support.”

Here at PlanetSKI we will bring you full details when they are released.

Thursday 21st January

French Ski Resorts Hear Later Today if Lifts Can Open

Marco Eberhand worked at the resort of Bergun in the canton of Graubunden. He was fired for breaking his relation of ‘loyalty’ to the company by speaking to the media.

The government had said it would make an announcement on Wednesday 20th but it looks that the half-term ski holidays will not be happening.

It is an economic short-term body blow to the resorts, but perhaps the right decision in the long run to stop the spread of Covid-19.

“There is no question of prioritising economic issues over health issues,” said the Prime Minister, Jean Castex, on French television on Monday evening.

“When the President announced the closure of winter sports stations, he had conditioned their reopening on a decrease in the spread of the virus, with less than 5,000 infections per day. However, we are not there at all,” he added.

Coronavirus cases in France remain stubbornly high and well over the government’s target of 5,000 cases per day.

See here for the full details:

France Set to Close Ski Lifts Into February

“The government needs to let us know by January 20 if ski lifts can open or not,” says Eric Bouchet, director of the tourist office at the resort of Les2Alpes in the Isere region of the Alps.

“We can’t just snap our fingers and open, it takes some planning. At some point it will just be too late and not worth opening at all.”

Hopes Raised for Hahnenkamm

As testing for coronavirus is being offered to everyone in the Kitzbuhel district ahead of this weekend’s race.

4,200 people in the district of Kitzbühel were given the PCR test at the weekend.

There were no further virus mutation detected in tests.

There was an outbreak in the nearby resort of Joshberg where 24 cases were found.

17 were in a group of trainee ski instructors mainly from Briton.

At the weekend there were further, extensive interviews with the participants of the ski group in Jochberg and no new cases are being reported.

Covid Tests on Offer for Entire District of Kitzbuhel

GB Trainee Ski Instructors at Centre of Covid-19 Outbreak in Austria

Thursday 21st January

Swiss Soldiers Helping With FIS Ski Races Quarantined in Wengen

90 members of the army have been isolated and a further 170 personnel are awaiting tests results.

The 2nd company of Rifle Battalion 14 were due to move from Wengen to Crans-Montana to help with the organisation of the FIS World Cup ski races.

The members of the emergency company were tested for the virus as a precaution and some positive test results were discovered.

It is the English variant of the virus.

The Lauberhorn race in Wengen was cancelled last weekend after a British visitor tested positive.

Lauberhorn Race Canclled Due to Covid-19 Ourbreak in Wengen

When dealing with the English variant of the coronavirus, the senior field doctor has issued instructions that in the event of a positive test by an army member, all contacts of the contacts are also placed in quarantine.

First Reaction as Ski Lifts Remain Closed In France

It is an economic body blow to the French resorts – the lift companies, the restaurants, the ski schools and all businesses in resorts.

Let alone us that want to ski.

The French government says it is necessary to save lives and beat Covid-19 and that health issues take priority.

We get first reaction from a UK company.

Sam and Jon Dredge run More Mountain that has 4 catered luxury ski chalets and 38 self catered apartments in the centre of Morzine.

“It’s a very awkward situation for us but we are hanging in there!

We are VERY sad and VERY disappointed, but not surprised.

The painful waiting game is still on…. with another government review in 3 weeks.

We just need the Government to make a decision and stick with it.”

Life In A Ski Resort When The Lifts Are Closed

As ski lifts in France remain closed into February due to Covid-19, and perhaps for the rest of the season, we ask what’s it like to be in resort when all the lifts are closed.

We hear from PlanetSKI readers, Alexandra Beuchert and Simon Perry, who have French residency and travelled from the UK to their home in Tignes in late December.

Seems they are making the most of it:

On the way up – photo Simon Twigge

See here for their full story:

Life In A Ski Resort When The Lifts Are Closed

Wednesday 20th January

French Ski Lifts to Remain Shut into February & Likely Beyond

The government made the announcement today in Paris.

It is a bitter blow for the resorts and means the half term holiday period is likely gone with a huge impact.

The government says it is a necessary measure and it puts the health of the nation above economic issues.

The Secretary of State for Tourism, Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne, said today that there would be “no reopening of the ski lifts by February 1st”.

He went on to add that “the prospect of reopening in mid or late February” also seems “highly improbable”.

Over the next few days the Prime Minister, Jean Castex, will meet mountain representative to discuss and offer economic support measures.

Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne said “the snow cannons are not going to work, the compensation cannons must be there”.

The news has come as no real surprise and was widely predicted.

One major resort in France that we heard from on Wednesday morning ahead of the decision said “we are 99% sure that alpine ski won’t open.”

The Reuters news agency, quoting a government source, said “France’s ski lifts will very likely stay closed until the end of the season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.” ,

So it has turned out to be.

See here for our full story:

French Ski Lifts to Remain Shut into February & Likely Beyond

Ski Technology Revolution Speeding Up

A study involving more than 50 winter sports experts has concluded that digital technology is set for a bigger role in the ski industry, thanks to Covid-19.

However, many don’t expect a return to pre-pandemic levels of skiing until 2023.

The new independent study was commissioned by Mastercard, sponsors of the Hahnenkamm races in Kitzbühel.

It says the pandemic is set to accelerate the winter sports industry into a technological revolution by 2025.

A total of 53 experts from 15 countries across Europe took part in the study.

Almost half of them (49%) said that pre-Covid levels of general consumer skiing and live attendance would not return until 2023.

Covid-19 Outbreak in St Moritz

Two hotels in the Swiss ski resort have been put into quarantine with ski schools closed.

The Swiss resort remains open to the general public for skiing.

Everyone in the town of 5,200 has been ordered to wear masks.

“About a dozen cases are currently known in two hotels. To protect the health of the population and guests, the health department has quarantined the two hotels and ordered corona tests for their employees and guests,” said the cantonal authorities in a statement.

Mass testing of residents is now taking place.

Schools and childcare day care centres have been closed.

The names of the hotels have not been officially released but it is reported that 400 guests and staff are in isolation at the Badrutt’s Palace Hotel and The Hotel Kempinski.

Police guards have been deployed.

The virus is one of the mutations that have recently been found in the UK and South Africa.

Those under quarantine are being tested and those who test positive are being isolated.

Those who test negative are able to leave, but they must follow quarantine regulations when they arrive home.

The nationalities of those affected were not given, but it is believed foreigners are among hotel guests.

FIS Chief Race Director Tests Positive for Covid-19

Markus Waldner has gone into immediate isolation.

“All individuals in close contact with Waldner, including the FIS support staff, have subsequently been re-tested for COVID-19 and the results were negative,” said a statement from the International Ski Federation.

“Therefore, assistant race directors Emmanuel Couder and Hannes Trinkl will take over the responsibilities of Waldner for the upcoming weekend races in Kitzbühel.”

He was tested after the races at Flachau which was the venue for the recent slalom races as the events in Wengen in Switzerland and then Kitzbühel in Austria moved due to outbreaks of the virus.

Kitzbühel is due to hold two legs of men’s downhill, followed by a super-G, from Friday (January 22) to Sunday (January 24).

French Ski Resorts Hear Later Today if Lifts Can Open

The government had said it would make an announcement on Wednesday 20th but it looks that the half-term ski holidays will not be happening.

It is an economic short-term body blow to the resorts, but perhaps the right decision in the long run to stop the spread of Covid-19.

“There is no question of prioritising economic issues over health issues,” said the Prime Minister, Jean Castex, on French television on Monday evening.

Coronavirus cases in France remain stubbornly high and well over the government’s target of 5,000 cases per day.

See here for the full details:

France Set to Close Ski Lifts Into February

“The government needs to let us know by January 20 if ski lifts can open or not,” says Eric Bouchet, director of the tourist office at the resort of Les2Alpes in the Isere region of the Alps.

“We can’t just snap our fingers and open, it takes some planning. At some point it will just be too late and not worth opening at all.”

Hopes Raised for Hahnenkamm

Testing for coronavirus is being offered to everyone in the Kitzbuhel district of Austria ahead of this weekend’s races.

4,200 people in the district of Kitzbühel were given the PCR test at the weekend.

There were no further virus mutations detected in tests.

There was an outbreak in the nearby resort of Joshberg where 24 cases were found.

17 were in a group of trainee ski instructors mainly from Briton.

At the weekend there were further, extensive interviews with the participants of the ski group in Jochberg and no new cases are being reported.

No final decision has been taken but the testing results so far are encouraging.

Covid Tests on Offer for Entire District of Kitzbuhel

GB Trainee Ski Instructors at Centre of Covid-19 Outbreak in Austria

Tuesday 19th January

Women Who Tested Positive After Visit to Swiss Ski Resort Puts 5,000 into Quarantine in Belgium

The woman, who has not been named, failed to go into isolation on returning to Belgium from a ski trip, and she then tested positive.

It is thought she has the more infectious variant of the virus picked up in Switzerland.

The woman later sent her daughter to school which led to the closure of two schools, a series of mass tests and put an estimated 5,000 people into quarantine.

The woman’s daughter, who was not on the ski trip, became infected with the virus.

She then passed it on to a classmate who passed it on to her mother who is a teacher at another school.

“If everyone had followed the rules, we wouldn’t be in this situation now,” said the mayor of her locality.

Two US Snowboarders Out of Laax Open After Positive Covid-19 Tests

Kyle Mack, an Olympic silver medalist, and his fellow US team member, Lyon Farrell, are out of this week’s Laax Open in Switzerland after testing positive for coronavirus.

Mack and Farrell are asymptomatic, according to US Ski & Snowboard.

Other unnamed US snowboarders who traveled and shared accommodation with the two have been tested.

They are negative but are also out of the competition due to the event’s coronavirus policies and protocols.

Kyle Mack won silver in the first Olympic men’s big air snowboarding event in PyeongChang 2018.

Shaun White was due to compete at Laax but pulled out – the withdrawl was unrelated to the virus.

France Set to Close Ski Lifts Into February

The government had said it would make an announcement on Wednesday 20th but it looks that the half-term ski holidays will not be happening.

It is an economic short-term body blow to the resorts, but perhaps the right decision in the long run to stop the spread of Covid-19.

“There is no question of prioritising economic issues over health issues,” said the Prime Minister, Jean Castex, on French television on Monday evening.

Coronavirus cases in France remain stubbornly high and well over the government’s target of 5,000 cases per day.

The current daily number is 16,642 (Sunday 17th January).

In the last 7-days there have been 185 confirmed cases of Covid-19 per 100,000 of population.

There are also fears about the multiple variants of coronavirus detected in the UK, South Africa and Brazil.

His comments have been reported across French media, though no formal announcement has been made by the government.

France Set to Close Ski Lifts Into February

Monday 18th January

New Swiss Measures to Battle Coronavirus Come Into Force Today

Ski resorts can remain open but non-essential shops are closed.

There is mandatory working from home where possible with restaurants and sports facilities closed until the end of February.

Private gatherings are limited to five people.

Social distancing is required.

Switzerland has one of the highest current rates of cases amoung the main alpine nations with 262 cases per 100,000 of population over a 7-day period.

The level has stabilised with hospitalisations and deaths showing a slight decrease.

More than 7,700 people have died from Covid-19 in Switzerland, that has a population of 8.9m.

More than 60,000 people have been vaccinated in Switzerland against Covid-19 since late December, according to an official estimate.

The authorities say 6m people will be vaccinated by the summer.

See here for our full story.

Swiss Ski Resorts to Remain Open

Regulations in Switzerland c/o Swiss Info

Italy’s Ski Areas Remain Closed

They had been scheduled to open today, January 18th, but it wasn’t to be with Covid-19 cases remaining stubbornly high.

The Italian government is now saying ski resorts will not now open until at least February 15th due to the “spread of the Covid-19 pandemic”.

The provisional date was set in early January.

It comes as the Italian Prime Minister, Giuseppe Conte, has announced coronavirus restrictions to continue until March 5th under the latest emergency decree.

The northern region of Lombardy and the autonomous province of South Tirol will become “red zones” which means they are pretty much in lockdown as infections continue to rise.

They contain many of the nation’s ski resorts with only supermarkets, pharmacies and other stores allowed to remain open.

The Aosta Valley, also home to many ski resorts, has been placed in an “orange zone”.

In red and orange areas, restaurants and bars are closed except for take-away and delivery.

In orange zones shops are open, although malls are shut on public holidays.

See here for our full story:

Italy’s Ski Areas Remain Closed

Germany Extends Lockdown Measures with Skiing Off the Cards

The lifts remain stationary and the rule requiring people in many high-incidence regions to stay in a 15-kilometer (9.3-mile) radius of their homes has been extended.

In Germany, the gondolas and lifts are shut down due to the pandemic.

Current figures from Germany’s Federal Statistical Office show that the number of overnight stays in hotels and other accommodations fell by more than 72% in November 2020 compared to November 2019.

Bavaria in the Alps has been particularly hard-hit.

The state is the most popular holiday region in Germany and in 2019 had more than 100 million overnight stays there.

The Zugspitze Glacier, the highest ski area in Germany, says it hopes it will be open the slopes next month.

It says it may extend the ski season if snow conditions allow in spring.

Some ski areas in Germany have seen problems with crowds hiking, snowshoeing and tobogganing as the lifts remain closed.

Many ski resorts in the country remain closed and last week police were out in force at the Winterberg resort near Duesseldorf.

German police chased people off the slopes of a closed ski resort after hundreds flocked to Winterberg, defying appeals from authorities to stay home https://t.co/FWICyn7ag3 pic.twitter.com/M1n9t2jY6s
— Reuters (@Reuters) January 3, 2021

Police say there were 176 violations issued for not wearing masks, 94 violations of social distancing restrictions and two criminal charges.

The situation in France:

Ski Resorts in France Await Their Fate

The Situation in Austria:

Austria Extends Lockdown

The Situation in Switzerland:

Swiss Ski Resorts to Stay Open

Here at PlanetSKI we are just updating out article on the situation in Italy as ski resorts remain closed and new anti-coronavirus measures are introduced.

Do check back later for that update…

UK Arrivals Need Negative Test to be Allowed Entry

All arrivals must now have proof of a negative test before being allowed into the UK.

Almost all must quarantine for 10 days – although this can be reduced to five if they test negative again for Covid-19 within those five days.

The closure of the so-called “travel corridors”, which allowed quarantine-free travel, will be in place until at least 15 February.

The test must be taken in the 72 hours before travelling and anyone arriving without one faces a fine of up to £500.

The Foreign Secretary, Dominic Raab, told the BBC that Public Health England would be stepping up checks on travellers who must self-isolate.

He said enforcement checks at borders would also be “ramped up” and added that asking all arrivals to self-isolate in hotels was a “potential measure” the government was keeping under review.

Ski Resorts in France Await Their Fate

The government will decide by Wednesday this week if and when the ski resorts can run their lifts.

Some fear if there is another delay then the season will effectively be a write off, but it may be necessary to save lives in the battle against Covid-19.

The resorts had been hoping to fire up their lifts on January 8th after the Christmas and New Year holidays.

It was not to be.

“The government is well aware of that the sector needs clarity and we are committed to providing this for the rest of the season as quickly as possible,” said the secretary of state for tourism, Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne, to the AFP news agency at the time.

That clarity is due to come by Wednesday 20th December.

“The government needs to let us know by January 20 if ski lifts can open or not,” says Eric Bouchet, director of the tourist office at the resort of Les2Alpes in the Isere region of the Alps.

“We can’t just snap our fingers and open, it takes some planning. At some point it will just be too late and not worth opening at all.”

Some predict the lifts may turn in early February, other feel the government will not give permission as the factors that caused the earlier closure still exist.

See here for our full story:

Ski Resorts in France Await Their Fate

Here are our earlier rolling coronavirus blogs if you want to look back at all the relevant developments over the past months as we have reported its impact.

We have updated daily since the pandemic began.

All you need to know about the pandemic and its impact on the world of snowsports:

January 11th: Coronavirus impact on skiing and snowboarding

January 4th: Coronavirus impact on skiing and snowboarding

December 28th: Coronavirus impact on skiing and snowboarding

December 21st: Coronavirus impact on skiing and snowboarding

December 14th: Coronavirus impact on skiing and snowboarding

December 6th : Coronavirus impact on skiing and snowboarding

November 30th: Coronavirus impact on skiing and snowboarding

November 23rd: Coronavirus impact on skiing and snowboarding

November 16th: Coronavirus impact on skiing and snowboarding

November 9th: Cornoavirus impact on skiing and snowboarding