Alpine Skiingworld Cup
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Descent and super-g between Switzerland and Italy, here is the official support of the International Federation with the words of Eliasch and Vion. Athletes will be able to train on the new track three weeks before the races.
Friday 1 October 2021 5 minutes reading time
The project has been running for some time, it had already received all kinds of "ok" from all the parties involved, even if the athletes themselves, Dominik Paris and Beat Feuz in the first place, had raised some doubts about the feasibility of the operation in terms of problems linked to the weather and physical fatigue, starting at almost 4000 meters above sea level.
The "Speed Opening" on the Matterhorn, for the first transnational speed races, from Switzerland to Italy, is becoming a reality and today the green light has also arrived from the FIS, which confirmed that Zermatt and Cervinia will host downhill and super-g , both on a male and female level, probably already in autumn 2022, therefore at the opening of the 2022/23 World Cup after the start with the giants of Soelden (the initial idea was to try for the month of November 2023 , ed).
It will therefore be possible to kick off the season of fast disciplines with weeks in advance of the (confirmed) appointments in North America, on the track of about 4 km designed by the Olympic downhill champion, the Swiss Didier Défago, who starts in the south. del Piccolo Cervino, at 3899 meters of Gobba Rollin in Switzerland, to end at an altitude of 2814 in Laghi Cime Bianche, with two thirds of the race on Italian snow.
“I am enthusiastic as there are ideas that give new possibilities to our sport - declared the new president of the FIS, Johan Eliasch - The concept of Zermatt / Cervinia is innovative and allows you to have a full season, from October to March, without interruptions. In addition, the organization is committed to allowing athletes to train, on equal terms, on that track in the three weeks prior to the races ".
Urs Lehmann, number 1 of Swiss-Ski who gave life to the project together with the FISI chaired by Flavio Roda, starting from the basic idea of Franz Julen, CEO of Zermatt-Bergbahnen, explained the reasons behind the Speed Opening : "The desire to have more speed races in the CdM calendar, in order to have equal conditions with the technical disciplines, has been addressed for years and Zermatt / Cervinia allows to host an appointment at the beginning of the season, also satisfying this need .
We are also planning to organize European Cup matches ”.
"Both federations will play an active role in the planning and implementation of the event - added Flavio Roda - We are not in competition with other organizers, but we are able to fill a gap in the calendar", while according to Julen himself, appointed President of the local organizing committee, explains that “this decision of the FIS guarantees us security in planning. Zermatt / Cervinia has been offering perfect training conditions for years and, together with the International Federation and Swiss-Ski and FISI, we are now happy to have the opportunity to organize an exceptional event for the World Cup, providing a training opportunity for all athletes ".
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