The board of Far West Nordic has declared a ban on fluorinated ski waxes beginning with the 2021-22 season for all cross-country ski races in the the Far West region of California and Nevada. The International Ski Federation (FIS), US Ski and Snowboard, and the International Biathlon Union have announced similar bans for races they sanction. Fluorinated waxes were previously banned for Far West junior Nordic qualifiers and CNISSF league races; it now extends to all races.

Fluorocarbon compounds have numerous uses and can be found in many products. Their water-repellent nature has made them ideal for ski wax, and they have been in use for decades. However, fluorocarbons have also been shown to be toxic or carcinogenic. They build up an accumulate over time, persisting indefinitely in the environment and living organisms. Fluorocarbons have been found in significant concentrations in the soil at ski areas. Due to their toxicity and permanence, regulatory agencies are phasing out their use. The purpose of the Far West van is to prevent skiers from exposing themselves and the environment to these hazards, while also achieving consistency with similar bans at all levels of skiing. 

Fluorocarbons are used in many types of ski products, including low-fluoro (LF) and high-fluoro (HF) waxes, fluorinated sprays and liquids, “pure-fluoro” speed powders, and fluorinated kick waxes. All are banned at races in the Far West region.

The fluorinated wax ban is not the first rule or ban for Far West racing. For example, skiers aren’t allowed use of performance-enhancing drugs. For citizen’s races, Far West has always relied on the honor system for compliance with the rules and it will do the same for the new fluorinated wax ban. Coaches will help ensure compliance at junior races.

Skiers that want to race this season on skis that have previously been waxed with fluorinated waxes should first brush them with a wire brush and then clean them with wax remover. The skis should then be waxed at least twice with non-fluorinated wax before being used in a race. This process will likely leave trace amounts of fluorocarbons on the skis but not enough to provide a performance advantage or pose a significant pollution risk.

A small number of high-stakes competitions outside of the Far West region will allow fluorinated waxes this season because testing will not be ready in time to prevent their use. The U.S. Olympic trials and Masters World Cup are among them.