This year's Ski World Cup races in Val Gardena/Gröden will take place as planned on Friday, 20 (super-G) and Saturday, 21 December (downhill). The International Ski Federation FIS confirmed the two dates recently at the FIS Autumn Meeting in Zurich. At the same time, it was decided that the super-G will start on Friday at 11:45 am just like the downhill on Saturday.

Every year before the winter season opens, the International Ski Federation FIS, its member federations, representatives from the various organizers, stakeholders and other representatives of important partners meet for the traditional FIS Autumn Meeting in Zurich. This was also the case last week when the Swiss metropolis set the course for the 2019/20 ski winter. The FIS confirmed the Alpine racing calendar for the coming season and at the same time ventured ahead to the next three winters. Val Gardena/Gröden with its two speed races on the Saslong is a fixed point in all three calendar drafts.

"This is of course very important for our long-term planning. We, the organizers, are generally basing our investments on a five-year plan. If the organizers invest millions in infrastructure then in return there is a certain expectation that we are guaranteed to get the races and can thus amortize the investments," says Rainer Senoner, President of the Saslong Classic Club.

The super-G starts at 11:45 am
There is a change concerning the start time of the super-G on Friday, 20 December on the Saslong. At the request of RAI, the Italian national broadcasting company, the start has been brought forward to 11:45 am. This means that both speed races on the Saslong will start at the same time this year. "We try to meet the needs of our partners as best we can and, therefore, are happy to comply with RAI's request. This year, the Italian state television will broadcast live all four South Tyrolean World Cup races. Of course we are very happy about that", Senoner continued.

During the FIS Autumn Meeting, member World Cup organizers met for a “Club5" meeting. The association of the classic World Cup organizers is aiming for a total of 25 members by 2023 in order to represent 75 percent of all organizers. "In the immediate future, we will strive to have a right to vote at the FIS Congress so that we, too, have a vote on all important decisions affecting Alpine skiing," said Club5 President Srečko Medven.

The 2019/20 Ski World Cup will begin in just over two weeks on Saturday, 26 October with the women's giant slalom in Sölden followed the next day by the first men’s race - also a giant slalom at Rettenbachferner. South Tyrol will be the focus of the international skiing scene shortly before Christmas when a downhill, a super-G, a giant slalom and a parallel giant slalom will take place in Val Gardena/Gröden and Alta Badia between 20 and 23 December.