Choice with a surprise effect: Val Gardena has the World Ski Championships!

It is finished. Val Gardena has received approval for the Ski World Championships. However, South Tyrol's winter sports stronghold will have to be patient a little longer because it will not be the year 2029 is planned for.

June 04, 2024

From Reykjavik

From:
Alexander Foppa

The FIS Congress in Iceland took a day that was historic in sports for South Tyrol and took it a step further. Just a few hours after Jannik Sinner reached first place in the world rankings at the French Open, Val Gardena was able to land an absolutely major sporting event. The highest-ranking winter sports officials chose the Ladins to host the 2031 Ski World Championships. The decision that it will not be the year 2029 was hoped for, but rather the edition two years later, is based on strange circumstances.

The day before the big election, an unexpected rumor was making the rounds in Reykjavík: The International Winter Sports Federation (FIS) had decided at short notice not only to award the 2029 World Cup, but also the one in 2031. And that's how it actually happened.

Narvik surprises everyone

Narvik was chosen for the first possible edition. The result is a sensation because the Norwegian winter sports resort has never hosted a World Cup race. It lies north of the Arctic Circle and is therefore higher than any World Cup location has ever been before. The Scandinavians got 11 out of 20 possible votes, while Val Gardena got 8 and Soldeu got one.

Afterwards, to the astonishment of many, the host for 2031 was announced - and that is Val Gardena! The Ladins clearly prevailed against Soldeu (Andorra) with 14 to 6 preferential votes from the FIS board. The Iberians came away empty-handed for the second time in a row.

Here FIS President Johan Eliasch announces the Val Gardena election:

One moment please - the video is loading

The organizing committee headed by Rainer Senoner, the mayor, tourism representatives and the World Cup athletes Alex Vinatzer and Nicol Delago presented the Val Gardena concept to those responsible for the FIS. They received political support from state governor Arno Kompatscher and the Ladin state councilor Daniel Alfreider.

Wolkenstein's mayor Roland Demetz and FISI president Flavio Roda sign the FIS contracts.

It wasn't just the Val Gardena presentation in Iceland that scored points, but also the fact that in Val Gardena you can rely on decades of World Cup experience and existing slopes and lifts. The legendary Saslong and the neighboring Ciampinoi slope will be the venues for the World Cup in 2031. This is the second time that South Tyrol is hosting the title fights. The premiere took place in the distant year of 1970. Where? Exactly, in Val Gardena.

By the way, two world championships were held in Reykjavík: the 2028 Ski Flying World Championships will take place in Planica (Slovenia), and the 2029 Snowboard and Freestyle World Championships will take place in Zhangjiakou (China). The 2029 Nordic World Ski Championships in Lahti (Finland) have not yet been awarded. Formal errors were identified there.