2023-11-29 03:58:26
Published29. November 2023, 04:58
Cross-country skier Beda Klee: “It doesn’t matter” – Swiss defies cold hell of -19 degrees
The Swiss Beda Klee defied the temperatures of below minus 20 degrees in Ruka-Kuusamo, Finland, and finished tenth. He spent 20 minutes explaining why it worked so well.
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Beda Klee finished tenth in Kuusamo.
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The man from Toggenburg suddenly got a nosebleed during the race.
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Beda Klee put on several layers of underwear to combat the cold.
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That’s what it’s about
Cross-country skier Beda Klee (27) finished tenth in the 20 km World Cup race in Ruka-Kuusamo.
In 20 minutes he explains how he experienced the conditions of minus 19 degrees.
The man from Eastern Switzerland says the adrenaline helped him against the cold.
Beda Klee, best performance in the mega cold – congratulations! How did you experience the race?
From my point of view everything went well. I had already equaled my best career result the day before with eleventh place. The next day I felt good throughout the race. I lost it a bit on the last climb. There could have been even more. But tenth place is a cool start.
What was it like competing in minus 19 degrees?
We had a similar situation two years ago. It was even below minus 20 degrees. That’s where I decided not to start. This time during the warm-up I had the feeling that it was warmer – until sunset. But it didn’t feel as extreme as it looked.
What was the problem back then?
At that time I couldn’t run properly in the first race because of the cold. With the second one, I noticed as soon as I walked in that my lungs couldn’t handle it.
You could read that the FIS only allows races to take place when it is warmer than minus 19 degrees.
There were discussions about where to measure on the track. Some places are colder than others. This year too it was below minus 20 degrees at one point at the bottom of a frozen lake. The rule is that 50 percent of the route has to be warmer than minus 19 degrees, but in the end it is a jury decision.
Was a race cancellation an issue for cross-country skiers locally?
Surprisingly not. The weather forecast the day before was also less cold, around minus 16 degrees. This time it got colder, especially during the race. The jury can’t do anything anymore. I have never experienced a race being stopped during a competition.
How do you protect yourself from the cold?
I wore a lot. Normal underpants, windstopper underpants, the racing uniform and thick thermal underpants on top. That’s what I had decided to do after the last time in Kuusamo. I didn’t have enough clothes there and couldn’t perform as well as I could. It’s a kind of bet: if you wear too much, you’ll sweat, get wet and then feel even colder.
Swede Calle Halfvarsson said his penis was frozen. Has this happened to you too?
No, but I got a bad nosebleed during the race and crossed the finish line covered in blood. This has never happened to me before. It definitely wasn’t that great, but if you’re good at racing, it doesn’t matter. For me it’s usually my hands or feet that are the problem. If the race is going well, you ignore it. The adrenaline helps you push away the cold. After the race I was happy to be able to get into a warmed tent.
Do you have physical after-effects from the race?
Not really. But I noticed that it was extremely energy-sapping and I was very tired the next day.
From a sporting perspective, did you benefit from the conditions?
Most athletes have experienced something like this. We are outside and know that we have to run in cold conditions – but I was still amazed at how well I ran. It probably also has something to do with my good form. When you’re out of shape, the cold takes its toll even more.
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