Why the Cortina World Cup is becoming a symbol

Racing needs the income, and Italy, which has been badly hit, needs an event with symbolic power. The program is tighter than ever: 13 races await in 14 days. With the virus mutations you fight against an invisible enemy.

16 years after Bormio (2005), Italy is once again hosting the World Cup. At the same time, it's about a successful test run for the 2026 Winter Olympics. But Covid-19 has made the challenges far more complex than the makers could ever have imagined. “I can’t remember any organizer who had to cope with as many tasks as Cortina so that we can all be here in the next two weeks,” said FIS President Gian Franco Kasper. “If there was a gold medal for endurance and perseverance, the entire Cortina 2021 team would win.” Rigorous protective measures, but open bars The fact that the World Cup is taking place in the country where the pandemic began in Europe is symbolic in itself. It's now about sending a message of hope and optimism in tough times, say those responsible for OK President Alessandro Benetton. State of emergency in Cortina d'Ampezzo: The World Cup is becoming an epidemiological field experiment. © ANSA / LUCIANO SOLERO / Z28

The pandemic has hit the ski circus hard in recent months. Spectators were not allowed anywhere, there are many restrictions and strict obligations. All of this tore massive holes in budgets. The lifeline is the TV and marketing income generated by the World Cup. “This money is then distributed to the associations so that we survive the season,” says Markus Waldner from Brixen, FIS race director for the men’s competitions.

To ensure that no World Cup cluster arises, rigorous protective measures are in place: four bubbles with as little interaction as possible, rapid antigen tests every three days, electronic access and movement controls, health questionnaires, mandatory masks and temperature scans on every corner, but bars open until 18 p.m. What the 5600-inhabitant town is trying to do for two weeks with enormous logistical effort is tantamount to an epidemiological field experiment. The controllability of the virus is studied like under a magnifying glass. if(!apaResc)var apaResc=function(a){var e=window.addEventListener?"addEventListener":"attachEvent",t,n;(0,window[e])("attachEvent"==e?"onmessage":"message",function(e){if(e.data[a]) for(var t=document.getElementsByClassName(a),n=0;n!=t.length;n++) t[n].style.height=e.data[a]+"px"},!1)}; apaResc("apa-0087-21");

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Why the Cortina World Cup is becoming a symbol

One of the largest international events during the coronavirus pandemic begins in four days. The fact that the 46th Alpine Ski World Championships are taking place in Cortina d'Ampezzo is a half-miracle, but in many ways of immense importance.

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