Marco Odermatt is one of the hunted on the Saslong. © Harald Wisthaler

In a month the Saslong will shake again

In exactly one month, the Alpine ski circus will be back on the prestigious Saslong downhill course in Val Gardena. Top international stars such as overall World Cup winner Marco Odermatt (Switzerland), local hero Dominik Paris and Vincent Kriechmayr (Austria) will fight for the day's victory in a Super-G and a downhill on the last weekend before Christmas.

20 November 2024

From: pm/det

World Cup races in the fast disciplines have become an integral part of Val Gardena. Since 1969, the international ski elite has been visiting the foot of the Sasso Lungo every year. An Alpine Ski World Championship was also held here in 1970 and the next championships - which will take place in February 2031 - are already being planned. Val Gardena stands for tradition, quality, professionalism and reliability like few other organizers around the world. Values ​​that the committed organizing committee led by President Rainer Senoner will also demonstrate during the now 57th Saslong Classic on Friday, December 20th and Saturday, December 21st, 2024.

This year's sporting programme again includes two World Cup races. For the first time, the real battle will take place - that is, the day's victory and valuable World Cup points - on Friday, December 20th as part of the Super-G. The Saslong Classic will traditionally end on Saturday, December 21st with the classic downhill. The races will start at 11.45 a.m., making it one of the best TV times in the winter months. The speed week will open on Tuesday, December 17th with the first of a total of three planned training runs. The other two training sessions are scheduled for Wednesday, December 18th and Thursday, December 19th.

Will Dominik Paris turn the target stadium into a madhouse again this year?

Vincent Kriechmayr (Austria), local hero Dominik Paris from Ulten and US boy Bryce Bennett are travelling to the South Tyrolean ski resort as defending champions. Kriechmayr won the Super-G last year, Paris won the downhill to the delight of over 10.000 enthusiastic and loudly cheering ski fans and Bennett came out on top in the sprint downhill, which was one of the canceled downhill races in Zermatt-Cervinia.

Will Dominik Paris rock the Saslong again? © Harald Wisthaler

But Val Gardena is not just concentrating on international ski stars. The organising committee is also very concerned about developing young ski talents. "For this reason, the Saslong Classic Club, in collaboration with numerous stakeholders, is organising the so-called Speed ​​Clinic at the end of November, where young athletes born in 2007 and 2008 are gently introduced to the fast disciplines with their own training sessions on Piz Sella. Immediately afterwards, at the beginning of December, a total of eight FIS races in downhill and super-G for men and women will take place here, where the ski talents can collect important FIS points at a very early stage of the still young season," says Rainer Senoner.

The Saslong Classic Club has hosted over 100 such FIS races in the past ten years - a number that impressively underlines the efforts made to promote young local, national and international skiers. And who knows whether there might not be one or two ski talents among them this year who will be among the protagonists at the 2031 World Championships in Val Gardena.

Program 57. Saslong Classic

Tuesday, 17th December 2024
11.45: Downhill training (Saslong piste)

Wednesday, 18th December 2024
11.45: Downhill training (Saslong piste)

Thursday, 19th December 2024
11.45: Downhill training (Saslong piste)

Friday December 20th
11.45: Super-G (Saslong slope)
18.00 p.m.: Super-G award ceremony and starting number draw downhill (St. Ulrich)

Saturday, 21. December
11.45: Downhill (Saslong piste)
Afterwards: Flower Ceremony and award ceremony downhill (finish stadium Saslong)