Austria weighs ski halls as Hans Pum backs year-round training

Former ÖSV sports director Hans Pum has backed building a ski hall in Austria, as debate grows over possible locations, demand and environmental impacts, ORF reports.

Manfred Schauberger of the ASKÖ Linz ski club said an indoor facility would allow young athletes to train throughout the year without travelling to a ski resort every day. The proposed funding model would involve both public authorities and private investors.

Pum said ski halls could give more people the chance to take up skiing, particularly children learning the sport. He said Austria was already late in discussing the idea.

Possible locations under discussion include the central regions around Linz and Vienna. Schauberger said a study should examine suitable sites and identified the area between Linz, Wels and Steyr as a possibility in Upper Austria.

Environmental impact is a key concern. Klaus Kupfmüller, president of the Upper Austrian Ski Association, said technologies such as solar panels and heat recovery could reduce energy use. He said some ski halls already operate with net-zero carbon emissions, using rooftop solar power to cool the buildings and make snow.

Greenpeace spokesperson Ursula Bittner raised concerns about the climate crisis and melting glaciers. Schauberger also said environmental issues must be considered in any decision.

Ski halls are established in countries including the Netherlands and Germany, while China is also investing in them, ORF reported. A ski hall opened in Vienna in 1927 but closed after a short time.