Pictured from left to right are Christoph Senoner, Andreas Schenk, Tobias Nocker, Christoph Vinatzer, Eugen Hofer, Tobia Moroder, Cristina Pallanch, Arno Kompatscher, Verena Stuffer, Martin Vallazza, Rainer Senoner and Daniel Alfreider.

Val Gardena World Cup planning is in full swing

Currently, almost everything in South Tyrol's sports world revolves around the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan Cortina, which will take place in just under four months. But important sporting events are also planned for the future in Italy's northernmost province. One of these is the Alpine World Ski Championships Val Gardena-South Tyrol, which will take place in 2031 – and for which preparations have long since begun.

September 30, 2025

From: pm

When the Alpine World Ski Championships open in Val Gardena in approximately 1950 days, the Ladin valley will want to be well prepared. The organizing committee of the long-established World Cup races, which have been held in Val Gardena every year since 1969, has set itself the goal of approaching the planning and implementation of this important sporting event with the same passion and professionalism as it does with the renowned Saslong Classic.

The first foundation stone in this direction was laid on Monday evening with a meeting between representatives of the Italian Winter Sports Federation FISI, the Autonomous Province of Bolzano with Governor Arno Kompatscher and his deputy Daniel Alfreider, the mayors of the municipalities of Val Gardena and Castelrotto, and the board of the Saslong Classic Club.

This is the timetable

Following welcoming remarks by Verena Stuffer, representative of the Italian Winter Sports Federation (FISI), and Rainer Senoner, the President of the Saslong Classic Club provided an insight into the progress of preparations for the championships in approximately five and a half years. He presented the attendees with a first version of a possible organizational chart and also presented a roadmap of necessary steps for the years 2025 to 2032.

The slope “La Ciampinoi” is already world-class
"In recent years, we have also invested heavily in our team, which we have simultaneously rejuvenated. It is an investment in the future of World Cup racing, because our young employees are expected to take over the reins after the World Championships," emphasized Senoner, who also reported that preliminary agreements had been signed with numerous accommodation providers. In his remarks, the OC President also addressed the new finish area at the foot of the Saslong, which he called an absolutely essential infrastructure for the World Championships. Meanwhile, work has already been completed on the "La Ciampinoi" piste, where the technical disciplines are scheduled to be held in February 2031.

In the coming years, several infrastructure projects will be implemented in the municipalities of Val Gardena and Castelrotto. Close cooperation between the municipalities and the provincial administration is essential for this, as emphasized by Mayors Tobias Nocker (Selva), Christoph Senoner (Santa Cristina), Tobia Moroder (Ortisei), and Mayor Cristina Pallanch (Castelrotto). To further coordinate this cooperation, Eugen Hofer was appointed as a coordinator and mediator between the provincial and municipal administrations for the implementation of the infrastructure projects and introduced to the attending figures.

Support from politics

Christoph Vinatzer, President of Dolomites Val Gardena, and Andreas Schenk, President of the Val Gardena/Alpe di Siusi Lift Association, emphasized the importance of the 2031 Alpine World Ski Championships Val Gardena-South Tyrol for the development of the valley. Martin Vallazza, Director of Infrastructure and Mobility, explained that valuable experience had been gained with regard to the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan Cortina, which will also be useful for the Ski World Championships. Deputy Governor Daniel Alfreider, however, emphasized the importance of cooperation with Rome. "The World Championships are a 'we' project. This is also reflected in the name: the Alpine World Ski Championships Val Gardena-South Tyrol," said Alfreider. "Being well-positioned is half the battle at a major event. Val Gardena has extensive experience and now a very well-positioned team, so I am very confident," said Governor Arno Kompatscher at the end of this first, highly constructive meeting.