Cross-country skiing is a sport that heavily depends on the right preparations. Ski waxing is a crucial part of every race and can be the difference between win and loss. But the most popular products used in competition include dangerous chemicals and must be carefully evacuated to guarantee people’s health.

Team Curira is a professional Swedish ski team with five full-time athletes and a group of wax techs. With competitions all over Europe, from the alps of Italy up to the Norweigan mountains, not only do the team need to be well-trained, but they must also be prepared for every type of weather condition.

With skis, wax and powder that match the temperature of the snow, skiers can glide better and sprint faster. But if the wax techs get it wrong, the race might be over before it even starts.

– Cross-country skiing is a sport very much depending on the athlete’s equipment, and waxing is an important part of that. We test different types of skis and waxes before a race, so it’s not like in Formula 1 where you can change tires mid-competition. We only have one shot at getting it right, says Klas Nilsson, Team Curira skier, and co-founder of the team.

In 2021, Team Curira invested in a new ski waxing truck. It accompanies the team to every competition and lets the wax techs perform their crucial work on site. The bus is equipped with ski racks, hiking tables and a tailor-made Fumex spot extraction system to deal with hazardous highly fluorinated substances.

– The powder that ski teams use for competition contains a high level of PFAS, which is toxic to breathe in and can affect people’s health negatively. Many wax techs only use face masks during the process. This means that the powder leftovers might not be fully evacuated when they take them off, Klas Nilsson explains.

The Fumex spot extraction system is the only one of its kind and is developed and produced in Skellefteå, the home town of Klas Nilsson and Team Curira. It allows the wax techs to safely perform their work, as it extracts every dangerous particle before mixing with the indoor air.

– I firmly believe that our team has the best solution. The airflow is cleaned right away, and there are no uncertainties about whether it is safe to enter the truck or not. Our herders have worked with Fumex during the development stage and they are very happy with the results. They have been given the best conditions possible, and now it’s time to make our way to the podium, says Klas Nilsson.