One hundred days until the World Cup returns to San Candido: from Naeslund to Deromedis, the stars are already dreaming of the “Kitz of skicross”

Exactly 100 days from now, the world’s skicross elite will once again be competing in San Candido. On Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 December, the 3 Zinnen Dolomites tourist region will host yet another World Cup stage, the 17th in its history, on the course known as the “Kitzbühel of the discipline”.

Baranci is, in fact, the toughest slope on the circuit; following a day of training scheduled for Thursday 17 December and Friday’s qualifying on 18 December, the knockout Finals will take place over the weekend, according to the final programme recently approved by the FIS.

While preparations for the stage have been under way behind the scenes in San Candido for some time, Olympic champion Simone Deromedis and the Games’ silver medallist Federico Tomasoni have already been at camp in Chile with their national-team teammates for several days. After sweeping the board in Livigno, the Val di Non star is aiming not only for the first Crystal Globe of his career, but also for the first victory by an Italian on the South Tyrolean course.

In 2025, Baranci was won by the athletes who subsequently dominated the overall World Cup standings, namely Reece Howden and Sandra Naeslund (although Frenchwoman Fanny Smith—no, Berger Sabbatel—won last year’s women’s second race before later retiring from competition); with four victories at the end-of-year stage, the Canadian star is also the male athlete with the most wins in San Candido.

The women’s record belongs to Naeslund, of course: the Swedish superstar, who was beaten by Daniela Maier at the Olympics, has won eight races here, although the reigning five-ring champion herself triumphed twice in 2024.