For the fourth time: Kilde and his wooden doppelganger

For several years now, the best skiers in the world have been able to look forward to an additional prize at the Saslong Classic in Val Gardena. Whoever scores the most World Cup points in Super-G and Downhill will be awarded a cash prize of 5000 euros, a wooden bust, a short vacation in Val Gardena and - and this was new last year - a guided mountain tour to the Sassolungo. After 2017, 2018 (then still called the South Tyrol Ski Trophy) and 2020, Aleksander Aamodt Kilde took home the coveted trophy last year with his victory in the classic downhill and fifth place in the sprint downhill and traveled together this week his parents, his brother and his family came to Val Gardena for the ceremonial handover.

“It's no longer a secret that I feel at home in Val Gardena - and not just in winter. This area is an absolute dream even in summer. The green meadows, the beautiful mountains, I am always welcomed here with open arms. It's fantastic. Will I climb Sassolungo? Let's see, it would somehow appeal to me," said the winner of 21 World Cup races - five of which Kilde celebrated on the legendary Saslong - as part of the entertaining honor.

Preparation for the season is in full swing The 30-year-old, who won the overall World Cup in the 2019/20 season, also gave an insight into the current preparation for the season. “As you get older, you have to do a little bit more every year to have the same power. That's why I used the time here in Val Gardena for dry training. At the end of August we will travel with the team to Chile for about a month and train there on snow. Recently I was briefly on the Stilfserjoch and completed my first units there. I’m looking forward to the start in Sölden and of course can’t wait to come back to Val Gardena in December,” said Kilde.

From left to right: Aleksander Aamodt Kilde, Alex Vinatzer, Nicol Delago and Nadia Delago. © Saslong Classic Club

The celebration was attended by Alex Vinatzer and the Delago sisters Nicol and Nadia Val Gardena, current World Cup athletes in Alpine skiing. Ex-downhill skier and now FIS athlete representative Verena Stuffer was also present. St. Christina's mayor Christoph Senoner, Christoph Vinatzer as representative of Dolomites Val Gardena, Rainer Senoner in his role as president of the Saslong Classic Club and finally regional councilor Daniel Alfreider addressed the numerous guests - including the vice president of the Italian winter sports association FISI Stefano Longo and others Partners who actively support Val Gardena's candidacy for the 2029 Alpine Ski World Championships.

In the short term, however, everything in Val Gardena revolves around the 56th Saslong Classic, which will take place on Friday, December 15th with a Super-G and on Saturday, December 16th with the traditional downhill. And it will be interesting to see who will win the Dolomites Val Gardena South Tyrol Ski Trophy...

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For the fourth time: Kilde and his wooden doppelganger

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