From the Western kitchen to the Winter Olympics, the snow car driver Rong Gotao's attack path

Xinhua News Agency reporters Dong Yixing, Yang Fan and Lu Xingji

There is such a job in front of the 27-year-old Rong Getao - it needs to be turned upside down day and night, it needs to face loneliness and danger, and it may be difficult to meet the living expenses for three years.

But this job as a snow groomer is what he loves.

From the Western kitchen in Beijing to the country's top snow fields, putting down bread and stepping on the snow in the wind, he strives to become the best among China's snow grooms. Now, he and his team have stood on the "stage" of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics.

Confusion in the first acquaintance

Talking about the reason why Rong Gotao entered the "snow circle", it is necessary to mention the snowboarder Zhang Jiahao, the Beijing boy who had previously been slightly angry because he had single-handedly attacked the qualification for the Beijing Winter Olympics.

Rong Gotao and Zhang Jiahao are high school classmates. Rong Getao studied Western cuisine and came to work at a five-star hotel. Suddenly, one day, Rong Getao received a call from Zhang Jiahao, asking him "do you want to go skiing together?" Therefore, at the Nanshan Ski Resort in Beijing, Rong Getao experienced the first slide of his life of "self-taught talent".

One ski is addictive. In order to have time to ski, Rong Getao was first "tricked" by Zhang Jiahao into working in a hotel bakery as a colleague, working at night and skiing during the day, so that "work becomes a rest time, every day when making bread is sleepy, standing can sleep until nodding." In the end, Rong Gotao and Zhang Jiahao walked the same path, and the two "bread brothers" both quit their jobs and embarked on the road of ice and snow.

After entering the industry, Rong Getao worked as a ski instructor and did park jumping maintenance. The only problem was working a day and not having time to ski on his own, which made him feel lost. By chance, Rong Getao heard that there was a manual maintenance of jumping platforms and slope barrier props, once in the morning and once in the evening, and there was time to ski during the day, so he went to try.

"Sometimes it's cold at night, and it can reach more than 30 degrees below zero, so we take turns to get on the bus to rest and warm up for a while." Watching foreigners singing in the snow car, whistling, and wearing short sleeves to work, I think this thing is particularly cool and handsome. Rong Getao said.

After much effort, Rong Getao slowly had some opportunities to contact the snow grooming car. Rong Getao said: "I originally liked this kind of large machine, the sense of control is real and powerful, I think this industry is particularly suitable for me, especially like." ”

Persistence in love

Soon, Rong Getao once again encountered a real shock: he wanted to become a real snow groomer driver through study and training, but in China, the industry did not have a perfect learning and training system. Only a few training institutions that import combos brands are relatively formal, but they are only simple theoretical examinations, and certificates will be issued after passing, and there is no more systematic training.

For the snow field, it is more cost-effective to choose a master who can directly get started with the work than to spend time training young people. Every year during the snow season, the time to open the door as early as possible depends on the level of the snow groomer driver.

You can only think of your own way, the first step is to find a master.

Rong Getao said that in the 2017-2018 snow season, after several pleadings, he successfully studied with a Chinese driver and spent a period of time with the car to learn how to operate vehicles and maintain parks. Then he went on to grind all kinds of soft and hard bubbles, learning from one master after another.

Through continuous practice and work, Rong Gotao gradually mastered the operation skills of snow grooming vehicles, and in the 2018-2019 snow season, he finally had the opportunity to drive a snow grooming car to the snow field.

But in order to have more job opportunities, Rong Gotao traveled to Beijing, Hebei, Jilin, Heilongjiang... Wherever he could get on the snow car, he did not hesitate to run over. Working the night shift, repairing the machine, and getting dirty and tired from time to time, it seems to be a world of difference compared with the previous "tall" hotel industry.

For Rong Getao's parents, at first they were completely unable to understand their son's decision. But because of this incident, the son was particularly happy and did not care about material conditions, and later the parents gradually figured it out. "Now that they're very supportive of me, I'm more motivated to keep going." Rong Getao said.

Harvest in solitude

In the past two snow seasons, Rong Getao has been able to make parks, make jumping platforms, and have more job opportunities.

But unlike many snow groomers, Rong Getao really loves skiing. "When I make my own parks, jump off the stage, and then play by myself, I understand the whole process and can turn what I imagine in my head into reality." I have dreamed countless times, and I often wonder what to do with this park, and this feeling is particularly good. Rong Getao said excitedly.

At the same time of excitement, Rong Getao also has a deeper understanding of this industry - in China's snow grooming industry itself may be OK, but compared with foreign "old drivers", it is far worse.

"China's ice and snow industry is still in the process of progress and development, and at present, it is more important for me to learn." Rong Getao said.

Staff at the Beijing Winter Olympics have been recruiting and training since three years ago, while Rong Gotao was only exposed to snow grooming vehicles three years ago. By the time his technology was relatively mature, it was almost 100 days before the countdown to the Winter Olympics. Rong Getao inquired from many sources and learned that the candidates for the snow grooming team had been decided.

In addition to despair, he did not give up the effort. He relied on his strength to introduce himself and eventually joined the Snow Grooming Team at the Winter Olympics. "It feels like a dream." Rong Getao said.

At present, Rong Gotao is working at the Genting Ski Park in Zhangjiakou Racing Area. However, due to his junior qualifications, he did not have the opportunity to make a competition venue at the Winter Olympics, but was responsible for the logistics of transporting the venue facilities with a snow groom. But in Rong Getao's view, having this experience is already enough.

"You can see the production progress of foreign experts and learn a lot." What's more, to be able to participate in the work of the Beijing Winter Olympics is also an honor in itself. If it weren't for being in the ice and snow industry, I probably wouldn't have been exposed to the Winter Olympics in my lifetime. This trip to the Winter Olympics is also the biggest gain in my career. ”

Zhang Jiahao and Rong Gotao, the former "bread brothers", are now a professional athlete, spilling their youth in front of the camera, and one has become a professional technician, silently sticking to it behind the scenes of the Winter Olympics.

"The Beijing Winter Olympics are really made up of a lot of 'snow particles', and it is not something that a certain person can do." I think the Beijing Winter Olympics are just my starting point. Rong Getao said confidently. (End)