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Olympics: Dutch ex-skier vows ‘to let it snow’
‘S-GRAVELAND, Pays-Bas, Feb 3, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – They call him Mr Snowman.
But Michiel de Ruiter knows he is shouldering a heavy responsibility as he
starts his mission at Pyeongchang: making tonnes of snow to keep the Winter
Olympic ski slopes in tip-top condition.
As a child growing up in the flat, low-lying Netherlands where not a
single real mountain can be found, the Dutchman used to use a spade to dig
out his own runs, before snapping on his skis to perform jumps in the
countryside around his hometown of Ermelo.
Now decades later, this former freestyle skier who twice represented his
country at the Winter Olympics has arrived in South Korea ahead of the 2018
Games.
But instead of skis, he is carrying everything he and his team needs to
give nature a helping hand and blanket the slopes in the white stuff.
Just before leaving home on his “adventure” of a lifetime, De Ruiter, 53,
was making final preparations at his business headquarters in ‘s-Graveland.
“I feel the same pressure as the sports athletes,” he told AFP, saying he
was “impatient” to experience the magic of being part of the Winter Olympics,
which runs from February 9 to 25.
– ‘ No room for error’ –
First step on his mission? “To evaluate how much snow has already been
produced by the Korean (snowmaking) cannons. Then I will bring the snow to
where I want it to be with spades and machines,” he explained.
After that he will have to mark out the runs, and ensure the snow remains
in good condition.
“There is no room for error,” he said. “Otherwise everything could go
badly wrong.”
If the snow starts to melt, then he will have to make more himself. He has
enough material to supply some 23,000 cubic tonnes of snow “just in case.”
A specialist in making artificial snow, his chance to take part in the
Winter Olympics came thanks to stroke of genius in Spain in January 2017.
Then the ski freestyle championships taking place in Sierra Nevada
mountains were on the point of being scrapped because the weather was too
warm.
Water was even dripping from the jump, supposed to help propel the skiers
15 metres (45 feet) into the air.
With the help of pipes filled with ice, De Ruiter achieved “the
impossible” and managed to stop the jump from melting or losing shape.
“The pipes consolidated the snow. After that, they asked me to come to
South Korea.”
– ‘In love with snow’ –
He believes it is already cold enough in mountainous Pyeongchang for the
South Korean snowmaking cannons to have gone into action to cover the slopes
in snow.
“But if the temperatures rise, it is possible they will ask me to make
some,” he said.
He says he has been “playing with snow” for decades now, having fallen in
love with it when he was very young.
Before representing the Netherlands at the 1992 Albertville Olympics and
in Lillehammer two years later, he even raked his own jumps.
“Back then we had to do everything ourselves. But it was a way of making
money, which helped pay for our transport to competitions.”
He never won an Olympic medal, but now with his business, De Ruiter has
made it snow on palm trees on a beach, and blanketed studios for movies and
ads.
“I can make it snow where I want and when I want,” he smiled, “even when
it’s 30 degrees Celsius” and the sun is shining.
His magic formula uses liquid nitrogen, water and air.
To build the jumps, he and his team of about 30 people including locals,
first build a structure of wood and metal, and then fill it with snow.
“Then we leave it for two to three days to allow the snow to freeze. And
then we sculpt the curve” which allows the competitors to thrust themselves
upwards hoping for height, distance and speed.
While the world will be looking up to admire the dizzying jumps achieved
by the skiers, De Ruiter says he “won’t be taking his eyes off the snow”.
BSS/AFP/MRI/0832 hrs