Turbulent days in Val Gardena: Single-handed World Cup attack

The World Ski Championships is always a big highlight. That's why Val Gardena and Alta Badia tasted blood. Based on their many years of World Cup experience, they have felt the need for their most important partners - the communities in the two valleys. And they were slowed down in Alta Badia before the World Cup adventure could really get going.

Because the Abtei local council spoke out against a candidacy last week, Alta Badia's World Cup dream is already over, at least for 2029. The plan was to combine the great know-how, acquired through many years of experience in World Cup races on the Gran Risa slope, together with the Val Gardena organizers, in a World Ski Championships. Now Val Gardena wants to do it alone In short: What takes place in the World Cup within 4 days every year before Christmas should not take place in just under 2029 weeks for women and men until 2 at the earliest. With a million times greater media attention. And: Building on existing infrastructure such as hotels, racing and training slopes and ski lifts. And not like in Cortina d'Ampezzo, where slopes, lifts and access routes had to be rebuilt before the 2021 World Cup.

The speed races on the Saslong in Val Gardena, the technical disciplines on the Gran Risa in Alta Badia - that's how easily the joint World Cup application could have been sold. Because Alta Badia is no longer working, Val Gardena now wants to try it alone.

Feels right at home in Val Gardena: Aleksander Aamodt Kilde. © AFP / ANDREAS SOLARO

Whereby: With Sestriere – already the World Cup venue in 1997 – an Italian candidate has already advanced to Cortina d'Ampezzo during the World Cup. The application dossier is available from the Italian ski association FISI. The people of Val Gardena still have to finalize their dossier. There are still a few months left for this; the FISI association management (consiglio federale) will not decide until spring 2022 which of the two applicants will be sent into the international race. Applications must be submitted to the International Ski Federation FIS by 2023; a decision will be made on the 2024 World Cup award in spring 2029. It's quite possible that it will take several attempts before you get a chance. As a reminder: Cortina d'Ampezzo only got the contract on the 5th attempt.

“We could start racing tomorrow.” Val Gardena's OK President Rainer Senoner There are logical reasons why Val Gardena wants to go through with the World Cup without Alta Badia: the speed races would take place on the Saslong (including those for women), and those for the technical disciplines would take place on the 3-person slope from Ciampinoi to Wolkenstein. “We would have the goal in the center of Wolkenstein,” explains Rainer Senoner, Val Gardena OK President. And: “It would be a sporting event on existing infrastructure. We could start the races tomorrow. But we don't want to do it without our politicians. It only works together, only then will we be strong. I’m sure there would be huge enthusiasm.” Markus Waldner also supports candidacy FIS race director Markus Waldner takes the same line: “Be it in Alta Badia or in Val Gardena, everything is available to host an event of this magnitude. There would be almost no interference with nature and thus the Dolomites UNESCO World Heritage, which is feared by some World Cup opponents. The hotels are already there, the slopes are suitable for racing and have snow, the infrastructure such as the finish area would only need to be slightly adjusted at most. These are requirements that many other potential World Cup candidates can only dream of,” says Waldner.

You can also use a World Cup as an opportunity to get local infrastructural problems under control more quickly. Problems such as the high volume of traffic in the peak tourist season in Val Gardena or Alta Badia - be it in summer or winter. “It can't be that I get off the motorway in Klausen or Vahrn and then stand in a traffic jam for over 2 hours to get to Val Badia or Val Gardena. Sustainable concepts could be developed as part of a World Cup bid. “Also when it comes to arriving and departing using public transport or other environmentally friendly alternatives,” says Waldner. And says: “Gröden and Alta Badia – that would have been a cool two-pack.”

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Turbulent days in Val Gardena: Single-handed World Cup attack

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