Following the announcement of a last-minute venue switch for the national cross-country skiing Olympic trials to the mountains near Vernon, B.C., organizers sprang into action.
With only two weeks to get ready for the event, scheduled from Sunday to Tuesday, the Sovereign Lake Nordic Club had trails to prepare, volunteers to organize, and a new setup to create—a ski wax testing station.
Wax plays a vital role in athletes’ performance on snow, providing both grip and glide. However, a commonly used ingredient has been banned from elite competitions in recent years. The use of fluorinated ski waxes is now forbidden due to the environmental and health risks associated with fluorocarbon, a type of polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFA).
“This is the first time testing has been conducted at our club,” remarked Mike Bell, a Sovereign Lake ski resort volunteer and experienced coach responsible for establishing the testing facility.
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Originally, the Olympic trials were to take place in Prince George, B.C., but a lack of snow there necessitated the relocation to the Vernon region.
Mike Bell is the Sovereign Lake Nordic Club volunteer in charge of testing skis for banned fluorinated waxes, known as ‘fluor.’ (Jacqueline Gelineau/CBC)
With only a few days left to prepare, Bell needed to create a system that would enable officials to swiftly and effectively perform random tests for fluorocarbon, or “fluor,” on numerous skis throughout the three-day event.
He and his volunteer team arranged ski racks in rows. Race officials then collected small samples from the bottoms of skis and analyzed the wax molecules using spectroscopy.
Hundreds of skiers will be racing for a spot on Team Canada starting this Sunday. There are four spots for men, and six for women, to compete at the 2026 Olympic Games in Italy. As the CBC’s Jacqueline Gelineau reports, the host site was changed at the last minute to a location in B.C.’s Interior.
Banned wax
The International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) initially prohibited fluor in 2019 due to concerns regarding human and environmental well-being, but race-side testing methods had yet to be developed. Subsequently, with advancements in testing techniques, the substance was formally banned from all elite competitions in 2023.
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Currently, the federation is implementing testing for the banned substance across all races it governs.
The FIS oversees a variety of sliding sports, including cross-country skiing, downhill skiing, jumps, and freestyle snowboarding, and has enforced the ban on waxes containing fluor in all disciplines.
Team Yukon ski coach Jen MacKeigan puts kick wax on skis at Sovereign Lake before the competitions began. (Jacqueline Gelineau/CBC)
Fluorocarbon molecules repel water, making them ideal for enhancing glide on snow, especially under wet and sticky conditions.
According to the FIS, fluor waxes became essential in cross-country and alpine skiing since the 1980s and have been extensively utilized since then.
“While their effectiveness was undeniable, adverse effects soon became apparent,” noted the International Ski and Snowboard Federation.
The fluorocarbon molecules were subsequently processed into poly-fluoroalkyl substances, commonly known as PFAs, referred to as “forever chemicals,” as stated by the International Ski and Snowboard Federation.
CBC News tracks hotspots of PFAS across Canada. (Andrew McManus/CBC)
The Government of Canada indicates that PFA exposure has been linked to negative environmental and health impacts, affecting liver, kidney, hormone, and reproductive system functions.
Wax remains a critical element in cross-country skiing, and athletes are urged to replace their fluoro-based wax with alternatives free from PFA.
During the Sovereign Lake Olympic trials, each club had a dedicated team focused on applying the kick wax to their athletes’ skis perfectly, as it could be the deciding factor between winning and missing the podium.
The competitors are vying for a total of 10 positions on Team Canada, comprising four for men and six for women in both freestyle and classic events. The Olympic Games will take place in Italy from February 6 to February 22.