FIS inspection on the Matterhorn, we proceed with full sail for the "Speed Opening": Eliasch also present

The number 1 of the FIS wanted to participate in the meeting which, between Tuesday and Wednesday, defined the details of the great news for the next World Cup, with the men's (29-30 October) and women's (5-6 November) descents ) of Zermatt / Cervinia.

Thursday 19 May 2022 4 minutes reading time

The FIS summer inspection was held yesterday, Wednesday 18 May, for the historic appointment of the "Speed Opening Matterhorn-Cervinia", already included in the calendar of the next World Cup, after the opening with the giants of Soelden of the 22-23 October, with the men's speed races on 29-30 October and the two women's descents on 5 and 6 November. We proceed with full sail with the unprecedented project of the first trans national descent; Present at the meeting were Markus Waldner, Hannes Trinkl, Peter Gerdol, Alberto Senigagliesi, Andi Kroenner and of course the organizing committee composed of FISI, Swiss-Ski, Cervino Spa, Zermatt Zbag, Valle d'Aosta Region, Canton Valais, Srg , the German Swiss television that will handle television production and Infront for the marketing of the rights. There was also a visit from the FIS president, Johan Eliasch, who wanted to follow the proceedings in person. The first appointment was the meeting on Tuesday evening, when all parties focused on the organizational aspects. Men will stay in Zermatt, while women in Cervinia. Two villages will be created, one in Cervinia and one in Zermatt, both equipped with a giant screen on which the races will be broadcast, which can therefore be followed simultaneously by the public of the two locations. Didier Defago, the track's designer, in agreement with Trinkl and Senigagliesi, traced the race course and estimated that 18 km of B networks will be needed to make the almost 3.5 km of track safe. Another element to be enhanced will be the border between Switzerland and Italy, to remember that those on the Matterhorn will be the first cross-border races in the history of the World Cup. Probably, the border will be well visualized thanks to an arch that will also mark an intermediate. The final part of the glacier and the track will be covered with sheets to protect the snowpack during the summer, which is expected to be very hot. Overall, the FIS judgment was positive; there are still many works to be completed, but we are proceeding rapidly towards the first edition of the “Speed Opening”.

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