Skier stresses importance of perfect environment

KLOSTERS, Switzerland-Norwegian ski star and two-time Olympic medalist Aleksander Aamodt Kilde says winter sports and sustainable agriculture should go hand in hand, as he shares his top tips for the booming number of ski lovers in China.

"Farmers and athletes share common ground. As a skier, I need to be able to ski on the snow on the mountains, the same way farmers need to use the soil to produce food for the world," he said during a ski event organized by Chinese-owned agriculture-technology company Syngenta Group. He has been working as a brand ambassador for the company since 2020.

Kilde is one of the world's best ski racers and won a silver medal in Alpine combined and a bronze in super-G during the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics in February.

"My future plans include trying to stay on top of my game and to win races, but also to enjoy it on the way. That's always a big goal for me," he says.

Asked about his advice for the new generation of ski enthusiasts in China, he says: "Enjoy it and try to be adventurous. You want to experience something new, be open-minded.

"Skiing is such an incredible thing, because you can share it with friends and family, but you can also be totally alone, get some free time and enjoy Mother Nature."

In January, China announced that it had surpassed its target of engaging 300 million people in winter sports, including ice and snow activities.

According to the National Bureau of Statistics, 346 million people have taken part in outdoor and indoor winter sports-related leisure activities since 2015 when Beijing and Zhangjiakou, Hebei province, won the bid to host the 2022 Winter Games.

Off-piste, Kilde says he has developed a passion for agriculture and an appetite for healthy, nutritious food that is grown in a sustainable way, affordable and accessible for everyone.

He is inspired by the dedication of farmers in China and its agricultural history, and says he wants to contribute to a greener, healthier and safer planet.

Erik Fyrwald, CEO, Syngenta Group, based in the Swiss city of Basel, says agriculture and winter sports have a lot in common.

"Both winter sports and agriculture are completely dependent on nature, on weather, and both are threatened by climate change," he says.

Kilde says that winning an Olympic gold is still his top target despite his newly developed passion for farming.

"In Beijing I got two medals, but gold is still missing. That's going to be my biggest goal in the next four years."