Around 140 days before the first World Cup event on the Saslong, representatives of the International Ski and Snowboard Federation FIS and the Italian Winter Sports Federation FISI paid a visit to the local organizing committee. They looked back on the 57th Saslong Classic in December 2024 and at the same time set the course for the next edition on the last weekend before Christmas.

Last year's Super-G was a major challenge for everyone involved. It had snowed heavily in the night from Thursday to Friday, up to 40 centimetres in places. But the Val Gardena piste crew, led by Horst Demetz, made the impossible possible and so the first of two speed races could be held - also thanks to the use of heavy snow grooming equipment. To the delight of the organizers, it also ended with an Italian victory: Mattia Casse celebrated his first success in the highest race series in alpine skiing in Val Gardena.

The downhill on Saturday, in bright sunshine and freezing cold, ended with Marco Odermatt's triumph. The Swiss superstar had thus also won the South Tyrolean classic and was able to tick it off his checklist. "The organization in Val Gardena is at an absolute top level. It's not for nothing that the races here below the Sassolungo are among the classics in skiing. Of course, there are still small improvements to be made, but it's all about the finer details," said FIS Race Director Markus Waldner, who was accompanied by his colleagues Hannes Trinkl, Raimund Plancker and Janez Hladnik to the annual FIS Summer Inspection.

Anchored in territory
Massimo Rinaldi represented the Italian Winter Sports Federation FISI at this important meeting in the run-up to each World Cup edition and thanked the Val Gardena OC for their commitment. "We are delighted to see that the preparations for the 2031 World Cup are already progressing. We are even more pleased that the territory is so strongly rooted here," explained Rinaldi.

The World Championships in six years' time were also the focus of the traditional slope inspection. This year, the Saslong was not walked as usual. The route from the Ciampinoi mountain station led via the Ciampinoi 3 piste into the valley - where the women's and men's technical races will take place in 2031. The FIS race directors were delighted with the condition of the slope. "This slope is fantastic. We will see exciting races here and have worthy world champions. Compliments also go to the lift companies, who have already started various smaller improvements and will also be renovating some of the facilities before the World Championships," said the race directors in unison.

Super-G on Friday, downhill on Saturday
As far as the World Cup in December is concerned, the program has been confirmed. Training kicks off on Tuesday, December 16. Wednesday and Thursday are also scheduled as training days, with Thursday also being a reserve day for a possible third race should a speed race in North America be canceled. The super-G will take place on Friday, December 19, while the final downhill on Saturday, December 20 will be the highlight of the 58th Saslong Classic. The start time for training and races is 11.45 am.

The organizing committee in Val Gardena was represented by the president and race director Rainer Senoner, his deputy race director Werner Perathoner, chief of slope Horst Demetz, Alexander Rabanser, who is in charge of the sliding team, the office staff Marta Covi and Letizia Gualdi, as well as the head of communications Hannes Kröss.