This Saturday, January 27th, the Vertical Up race is kicking off at 6:30 pm from the finish area of the Saslong. In the speed class, the winner is who’s fastest and there are great prizes awaiting for those recreational athletes in the backpack class. Last-minute participants can register on the day of the race.

It starts where the ski racers usually finish. As with the first edition a year ago, the Saslong is going to be tackled in the opposite direction, from bottom to top, for just this one time in the season. Everyone can participate as they like as long as they accomplish it from their own power and without an engine! The track is challenging and even the initial finish schuss section will take it all from even the best of ski mountaineers. Then it's on to the Ciaslat meadows, the legendary Camel Humps and the Sochers walls over a total of 590 meters to the finish at the Hotel Sochers.

The winner in the speed class will be awarded a prize of Euros 500. If you want to be more comfortable, start with a backpack in the backpack class. A professional Head ski equipment package is awarded to the participant who comes closest to the average time. In addition, there are a number of great prizes for the best in the ski tour classification, the best South Tyrolean participants, the athletes of the largest team and who is dressed the funniest in a pre-carnival spirit. More information can be found at www.saslong.org/verticalup.

Vertical Up is a racing series with ascent competitions on various ski World Cup racetracks such as the traditional downhill courses of Kitzbühel and Wengen. Val Gardena/Gröden celebrated its premiere a year ago with the victory of Philipp Götsch from Dorf Tirol.