On Thursday afternoon, during a press conference held at the World Cup Press Center in St. Cristina, Val Gardena/Gröden's candidacy for the 2029 Alpine World Ski Championships was presented.

At the press conference, Rainer Senoner (President Saslong Classic Club), Roland Demetz (Mayor of Selva) and Ambros Hofer (DOLOMITES Val Gardena) had their say. The trio explained the concept behind the Val Gardena/Gröden World Cup bid to the numerous journalists present, also pointing out the underlying strengths of the bid.

"The Saslong Classic OC team and the entire Val Gardena/Gröden are pursuing the dream of hosting the 2029 Alpine Ski World Championships. We live for the sport and try to show our enthusiasm for it year after year. 'Passion & Performance' is much more than a simple advertising slogan. We embody these concepts through and through. Now we want to build on the decades of work behind the Val Gardena/Gröden Race Week organization and bring the World Championships to South Tyrol," says Rainer Senoner.

A major advantage of Val Gardena/Gröden is the infrastructure already in place. "From the accommodations to the slopes, we already have everything it takes to host an Alpine Ski World Championships. In addition, we know that the entire valley is behind us - both from a tourist and political point of view," Senoner emphasized, adding, "by hosting the World Ski Championships, we want to give young athletes a vision and offer them the opportunity to showcase themselves on the biggest possible sporting stage."

"Are you ready to take the next step"?

Roland Demetz echoed Senoner's words and underlined the strengths of Val Gardena/Gröden's World Cup bid: "Here with us, we have both the infrastructure, know-how and experience needed to make a worthy World Cup host. We had the opportunity to host the World Ski Championships for the first time in 1970. This World Cup was something like the starting signal for the successful history of tourism in Val Gardena/Gröden." The mayor of the village of Selva/Wolkenstein is certain that the Saslong Classic OC team "meets all the requirements to put on a successful World Cup and thus put the tradition, culture and mountains of South Tyrol in a prominent showcase."

Ambros Hofer agreed with Demetz: "We want the World Ski Championships to take place in a traditional winter sports resort. Val Gardena/Gröden is a historically grown winter destination amidst a unique mountain panorama in the middle of the Dolomites. The population passionately stands behind this event. After decades of organizing the Saslong Classic, Val Gardena is ready to take the next step with the World Championships."

He added that the World Ski Championships represent an excellent opportunity for tourism, now the most important sector of the valley's economy. "With the World Ski Championships, we want to set up something from which the tourism sector can profit in the long term. Val Gardena/Gröden already attracts numerous guests from various nations. The 2029 World Cup should be used further to consolidate its position as a successful tourist destination," Demetz explained.

Hosting the World Cup as advertising on its behalf

In the coming weeks and months, the Val Gardena/Gröden Race Week organizers want to present their concept to all decision-makers. "In principle, this presentation will already begin this week when we host the ski circus as part of the World Cup. However, we want to use it to advertise on our own behalf and show that we can not only look back on a great tradition but that a great passion for skiing still burns within us," Senoner said.

This passion, of which Senoner spoke, will accompany Val Gardena/Gröden for a long time to come - in the best case, until the Alpine World Ski Championships in 2029.