A special star dish named after him, a wooden bust of the winner, a short holiday in South Tyrol and prize money of Euros 20,000: This is the package of prizes awarded to Norwegian ski star Aleksander Aamodt Kilde as the winner of the 2018 Südtirol Ski Trophy. The 26-year-old Scandinavian recently visited Val Gardena/Gröden where he was able to contribute to the creation of  two dishes with star chefs Anna Matscher and Gerhard Wieser. Kilde also won the Südtirol Ski Trophy in 2017. The initiative was organized by IDM South Tyrol. 

On the Saslonch Hut and thus in the immediate vicinity of the legendary downhill run, Kilde proved that he is not only an excellent skier, but also a skilled cook. First of all, the attending guests - among them Provincial Assessor  Daniel Alfreider, IDM President Hansi Pichler, IDM General Director Erwin Hinteregger, the President of the Saslong Classic Club Rainer Senoner and Sergio Tiezza of the Alta Badia World Cup Organizing Committee - were served a "Carbonara à la Kilde" with juniper, bacon, chestnuts and venison ham, the recipe prepared by star chef Anna Matscher. Afterwards there was a "suckling pig breast Kilde-style" with potato caraway dough leaves, cabbage salad and bock beer mayonnaise based on a recipe by star chef Gerhard Wieser.  

"I am in this area for the first time in summer. I am thrilled, because it is almost more beautiful than in winter. I have a very special relationship with Val Gardena/Gröden, because here I reached my first World Cup podium almost four years ago and last year I was able to celebrate one of my three World Cup victories. Thank you very much for the invitation, I will definitely return in summer," said Aleksander Aamodt Kilde at the very special award ceremony. At the Gran Risa in Alta Badia last year, the Norwegian placed seventh as the best result in the parallel giant slalom.

Norway is a regular to the Südtirol Ski Trophy

The "Hall of Fame" of the Südtirol Ski Trophy is located on the Saslonch hut. There, the authentic wooden busts of all previous winners will be exhibited. In addition to Kilde, the winner of the 2017 and 2018 editions, there will also be a bust of Kjetil Jansrud, who won the coveted prize at the premiere in 2016. According to an idea of Provincial Governor Arno Kompatscher, the skier who collects the most World Cup points in the four men's World Cup races in Val Gardena/Gröden and Alta Badia will be awarded in his own South Tyrolean World Cup ranking.      

This year the men's Ski World Cup will return to South Tyrol shortly before Christmas. In Val Gardena/Gröden there will be a Super-G (Friday, 20 December) and the classic downhill (Saturday, 21 December), as well as in Alta Badia a giant slalom (Sunday, 22 December) and a parallel giant slalom (Monday, 23 December).