OLYMPICS: Snowmaking and stockpile help Italy's Livigno get ready for Games

LIVIGNO, Italy – Livigno in northern Italy is fully prepared to host the Olympic snowboarding and freestyle skiing events next month, thanks to its advanced snowmaking and storage capabilities, local organizers told Reuters.

Located in the Alps near the Swiss border, Livigno requires large quantities of snow to build the halfpipe and jumps used in these spectacular events.

Last month, International Ski Federation (FIS) President Johan Eliasch expressed concerns about snow production in Livigno, criticizing the Italian government for delays in releasing some of the necessary funding.

Davide Cerato, local area manager for the Milano Cortina Games, acknowledged the FIS concerns, noting that there had been initial construction delays at the venue. However, he said these issues have since been resolved.

“Now we are over 80% of snow production, and according to the plan to complete snowmaking by January 20, we are ahead of schedule,” Cerato said.

The 2026 Winter Olympics will take place from February 6 to 22, with Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo in the Dolomites as the main hubs, and events spread across northern Italy.

New Dam Supports Snowmaking

Livigno will host a test event later this month. Situated at an altitude of 1,816 meters, the area still receives natural snowfall, but its snowmaking capacity has been significantly expanded. Snow cannons are now supplied by a dam holding more than 200,000 cubic meters of water.

Fabio Saldini, CEO of Milano Cortina 2026 infrastructure company SiMiCo, described the Livigno Snow Park as the most complex project of the Games. Four disciplines share the same finishing zone, which is located near a parking area.

Initial feedback from the visiting Italian snowboard team has been highly positive.

“They are here preparing the slope and told us that the snow is spectacular,” Saldini said.

“It is a beautiful slope with excellent grip. In fact, they said they haven’t seen a slope like this in 10 years.”

Stored Snow Ensures Success

Locals have also developed methods for storing snow from one season to the next, which has been used to cover key areas of the Olympic courses.

Luca Moretti, head of Livigno’s tourism promotion agency, explained that the stored snow is protected during the summer with special covering material that reduces sun exposure, with only 23% lost last year.

When snowmaking was delayed, organizers used this reserve to compensate.

“We transported snow by lorry, each making a short 350-meter trip, moving about 10,000 cubic meters of snow per day,” Moretti said.

“In just a few days, we supplied 100,000 cubic meters for the Big Air landing area.”

Moretti acknowledged that changing weather patterns are affecting winter sports but remains optimistic about Livigno’s future as a top venue.

“The snowiest months have shifted from November and December to January, February, and March, and the season is now a bit longer,” he said.

-Writing by Keith Weir; Editing by Hugh Lawson/Reuters