Only seven weeks remain until the world's elite downhill racers rattle on their razor-sharp skis across one of the most renowned race slopes in the ski circuit. On Friday, 15 December, the super-G will take place in Val Gardena as part of the 56th Saslong Classic, while one day later - on Saturday, 16 December - the classic downhill will be held.

Preparations for the South Tyrolean winter sports classic, which has been an integral part of the World Cup calendar since its premiere in 1969, are already in full swing. For instance, the first safety nets were installed along the 3,446-meter-long race course with a height difference of 839 meters at the beginning of October. Additionally, telephone lines are buzzing with activity, and hundreds of emails are being processed daily in the new office premises in St. Cristina, where the organizing Saslong Classic Club moved in August.

”It's enjoyable to work with our young and extremely motivated team. Advance ticket sales, currently being handled online on our website www.saslong.org/en/tickets, are off to a good start. The closer we get to our deadline on the last weekend before Christmas, the more tickets will be sold. We are anticipating two thrilling speed races and looking forward to various entertainment events, such as the bib draws in Ortisei. These are an absolute must for all fans," says Rainer Senoner, President of the Saslong Classic Club. All media representatives can obtain accreditation for the Val Gardena World Cup races from November 7 at https://www.saslong.org/en/media/.

Speed Clinic and FIS Races on Plan de Gralba
The racing season in Val Gardena kicks off two weeks before the World Cup event. On Plan de Gralba, the so-called "Speed Clinic" will take place on Piz Sella from November 27 to 30. This newly created training camp is intended for young female racers who aim to improve their performance in the speed disciplines. Immediately afterward, the traditional FIS races for women and men will be held on the same slope at the beginning of December, where up-and-coming talents can gain valuable experience and collect essential FIS points for the rest of the season.

"Young skiers are very close to our hearts, and we see it as our duty as World Cup organizers to invest in the development of young racers by hosting these races. In the past ten years, we have organized over 100 FIS races—this figure impressively underpins our efforts in this direction," Senoner continued.

The World Cup Candidacy Enters the Final Phase
Simultaneously, the Saslong Classic Club is passionately and professionally advancing its bid for the 2029 Alpine World Ski Championships—in line with its motto, "Passion and Performance." Currently, the Val Gardena team is incorporating inputs into the World Championships dossier received from the FIS evaluation commission when presenting the project. The dossier will then undergo a final review before the document is finalized. Based on these dossiers and presentations that all World Championships applicants will deliver at the FIS Congress in Reykjavik on Tuesday, 4 June 2024, the FIS Executive Board decides in 222 days. In addition to Val Gardena, Soldeu (Andorra) and Narvik (Norway) are also bidding for the 2029 Alpine World Championships.