time is a major consideration
by the network, with the
slot following the nation’s
most-watched event nearly
guaranteeing a ratings boon.
But in 2022, NBC is trying
a new strategy: After the
Lombardi Tr ophy is raised
on Feb. 13 in Los Angeles,the network will immediately
air live competition from
the Olympics in Beijing,
where it will be Monday
morning on Day 10 of the
Games. The current slate
of events includes hockey
and snowboarding, as well
as medal rounds in bobsled,figure skating and ski
jumping. The change marks
the first time in 46 years
that a network will follow the
NFL’s big game with another
sporting event; CBS televised
the 1976 Phoenix Open
golf tournament after
Super Bowl X.shaved ice. That’s what it feels like
you’re riding on.”
According to U.S. cross-country
skier Hailey Swirbul, artificial snow
is also more f irm and harder-packed,
which requires competitors in her
sport to generate even more power
as they race. To prevent slippage and
provide traction on the course, ath-
letes apply kick wax, or grip wax,
to the middle third of the ski, or the
kick zone. The 23-year-old Coloradan
says skiers choose the type based
on the conditions—hard waxes for
colder temperatures, and softer,
supersticky ones for warmer envi-
ronments—but the man-made ver-
sion makes it “a little bit trickier”
to figure out because of the varying
humidity levels that the snow is created in.
During training, most Olympic hopefuls don’t seek
out fake snow because they encounter it throughout the
season, anyway. Mastro rarely finds a halfpipe that is
completely natural, due to the amount of snow it requires.
Most are a mix of real and fake, so athletes will have
experience competing under various conditions before
they arrive in Beijing. “It’s just something that we get
used to having to adapt back and forth to,” says Swirbul.
Despite its tacky texture, the artificial stuff, Mastro
says, “would not make a good snowball.” So don’t expect
to see someone’s version of Frosty along the slopestyle
course or cross-country track this month.use a wax made for colder temperatures that is harder, to
make sure their boards will “stand up to the snow” and
“slide as fast as possible.”
“Natural snow kind of cuts like butter,” she says. “It’s
smooth, and the snow feels good. Man-made is quite a
harsher cut. It rips moisture out of your board fast. You
want your board to be as well hydrated as possible to help
it glide against the snow.”
Slopestyle rider and 2018 gold medalist Red Gerard
echoes Mastro’s preference for real snow, adding that
his “edges grip way better” when competing on a course
made from it. Gerard says of the fake stuff, “It’s just like
a hockey rink when you have hockey snow. It’s basicallyBY JAMIE LISANTIFREQUENT FLYER
As she gears up for big tricks,
Mastro will have to keep her board
hydrated on the more sandpapery
surface of the halfpipe walls.BEIJING WINTER OLYMPICSSEAN M. HAFFEY/GETTY IMAGES