Skiing tradition is lived on the Gran Risa in Alta Badia. © Pentaphoto

Five-time World Cup glory in the Dolomites

For the first time, Italy's largest ski destination is presenting its flagships when it comes to winter sports: the 5 Alpine Ski World Cup events in the Dolomites. In total, no fewer than 20 World Cup and European Cup races in 5 winter disciplines are held in the Superski area.

23 November 2023

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Thursday's event in Milan, attended by numerous representatives of the national sports press and authorities, was an absolute first. Dolomiti Superski, the largest ski area in Italy, and the 5 local organizing committees of Val Gardena, Alta Badia, Cortina d'Ampezzo, Kronplatz and Val di Fassa presented themselves together to the public for the first time to underline the great competition and organizational tradition of this mountain region , which has been the scene of major sporting events and home to countless champions in various winter sports disciplines for more than half a century.

In addition to the 5 World Cup events in Alpine skiing, Dolomiti Superski will host a total of no less than 20 World Cup and European Cup events in 5 different winter disciplines, with 3 others missing that are not on the FIS calendar this year.

At the beginning of the event, Flavio Roda, President of the Italian Winter Sports Federation FISI, highlighted the role of the Dolomites organizers at the highest level, emphasizing the professionalism, reliability and prestige they enjoy within the FIS. For more than 50 years, the Dolomites have been a bright area on the FIS map, as they host numerous competitions at the highest level, but also provide the champions of tomorrow with plenty of room to grow in sporting terms.

“If millions of skiing enthusiasts are offered winter TV images of the racing, that is the best advertising.” Dolomiti Superski Marketing Director Marco Pappalardo

Marco Pappalardo, Marketing Director of Dolomiti Superski, then took the floor and introduced the tourist destination that extends across the provinces of Bolzano, Trento and Belluno and manages no fewer than 450 lifts in 12 ski areas, where almost 4 million skiers come every year no less than 1.200 km of slopes to enjoy. “The well-known ski sports events have contributed significantly to the growth of our tourism reputation over time. When millions of skiing enthusiasts see the winter TV images of the racing, it is the best advertisement for our tourism and especially skiing destination in the Dolomites,” said Marco Pappalardo at the end of his speech.

In the photo from left: Renzo Minella (Val di Fassa), Andy Varallo (Alta Badia), Flavio Roda (President FISI), Alexia Demez (Gröden), Stefano Longo (Fondazione Cortina), Danny Kastlunger (Kronplatz), Marco Pappalardo ( Dolomiti Superski).

Afterwards, all 5 local organizing committees took the floor with their speakers to present the 5 Audi FIS Ski World Cup events in the Dolomites for the 2023-24 season. Rainer Senoner, President of the FIS, presented the sequence according to the FIS racing calendar Saslong Classic in Val Gardena (December 15th-16.12.2023th, 2), will be the first to present the program. Two speed races will take place again on the legendary Saslong slope, which will provide the first TV winter images from the Dolomites. Val Gardena, which is also a candidate to host the 2029 World Ski Championships, has been represented in the World Cup since 1969.

Let's start in South Tyrol

The long World Cup weekend in mid-December also includes two men's giant slaloms Gran Risa in Alta Badia on December 17th and 18th. Andy Varallo, head of the local organizing committee, presented the two events, which can traditionally count on a top-class supporting program. Between the first and second rounds on Sunday, the traditional flyover by the Italian aerobatic team “Frecce Tricolori” will also take place.

Anniversary in Cortina

Cortina d'Ampezzo, which organizes a total of three women's speed races, is celebrating its 100th official women's World Cup race this year. Represented by Stefano Longo, President of the Cortina Foundation, the city of Ampezzo is looking forward to the 2026 Winter Olympics, exactly 70 years after the 1956 Games.

Danny Kastlunger, head of the OC of “Al Plan Events” for two years, which has been running the women's World Cup race since 2017 Kronplatz organized, recalled the glorious moments of the last edition, when Mikaela Shiffrin marked the new absolute women's World Cup victory record with a double victory on the Erta slope at Kronplatz. The race will take place on Tuesday, January 30th, 2024, the entertainment program begins on Sunday, January 28.01th.

Finally, the women's speed event is in Fassa Valley can be found as an official date in the racing calendar for the first time on February 24th and 25th, 2024. The Volata slope at Passo San Pellegrino will be the venue for two women's SuperGs, having already hosted two catch-up races in 2021. On this occasion, according to Renzo Minella, the organizing committee, now headed by Fausto Lorenz, drew attention and won the trust of the FIS.