Women’s empowerment – women making history
The trend of involving female figures in key roles has always been significant and concrete within the Saslong Classic Club. Women play a fundamental role in the Committee, also holding sensitive and strategic positions for the positive outcome of international racing events.
Chapeau, Aksel!
Bright sunshine and perfect conditions - the Saslong presented itself from its most attractive side on the day of the downhill in this anniversary year only competing with a beaming Aksel Lund Svindal who captured his sixth gold on the Saslong.
A big thank you
A stressful but exciting week has concluded for Rainer Senoner, president of the Val Gardena/Gröden World Cup Organizing Committee. He talks to the Saslong editorial team about the weather, the races and what fifty years of the World Cup mean for the valley.
Delighted and disappointed: There was a little of everything in today’s statements by the athletes
While Svindal is happy about his sixth Saslong victory, Peter Fill is the unlucky one of the day. You can read and listen here what the racers had to say about their runs.
Svindal's victory makes the news around the world
Numerous media reported on today's downhill in Val Gardena/Gröden. The Saslong editorial team has put together a selection.
Innerhofer fans are the best
They convinced the jury: The members of the fan club of Christof Innerhofer are the winners of the fan club parade this anniversary year.
Südtirol Ski Trophy: Svindal in the lead
This year, for the second time, the athlete who wins the most FIS points during the four South Tyrol World Cup races will receive a prize. Norwegian athlete Aksel Lund Svindal leads after the two speed competitions in Val Gardena/Gröden.
A "get-together" for sports, business and politics
All eyes are on skiing during the two days of races in Val Gardena/Gröden. And skiing can do a lot more than build suspense: once again, this big event is used by the “who's who" of sports, business and politics to combine skiing and networking. The World Cup in Val Gardena offers the perfect setting with even more exclusive options for this year's anniversary edition.
To another fifty years
Tonight fireworks and a big show looked back on the past fifty years of the World Cup in Val Gardena/Gröden. An impressive event - bringing together tradition and modernity - was held in the finish area to celebrate this big anniversary.
We always act as fair as possible
Due to the weather, today's Super-G was not an easy race. Nonetheless, FIS, organizers and coaches are pleased with today's decision to stop the race after 38 runners.
From the press center to the whole world
The first World Cup victory of Josef Ferstl as well as news on the whole race were reported live from Val Gardena/Gröden today. A selection of online media clippings can be found here!
Ferstl cheers in Val Gardena/Gröden
German Josef Ferstl celebrates his first World Cup victory in Val Gardena/Gröden. Only 2/100 of a second behind is the Austrian Max Franz.
What the racers say about the race ...
German Josef Ferstl celebrates his first World Cup victory. You can read here what he says and how satisfied Fill, Kilde & Co. were with their Super-G rides.
I will not give up on this racetrack
Peter Fill, two-time overall downhill winner, talks about his mixed relationship with the Saslong and what role the material will play in this year's downhill.
We are ready
After a long day, FIS racing boss Markus Waldner reviewed the day’s events at the team captains' meeting.
What is reported on the races in Val Gardena: Gröden
Not only the Saslong editorial team reported on today's downhill training but also numerous online media worldwide. Here is a selection...
All's well that ends well!
A fog bank was quite persistent in the upper section, so that the second downhill training had to be interrupted several times today. It took more than three hours to have all racers at the finish. The fastest athlete today was Austrian Matthias Mayer, ahead of the Canadian Benjamin Thomsen and Otmar Striedinger.
Racers are pleased with course conditions
Constant interruptions due to the fog made today's downhill training a never-ending story. The Saslong editorial board has captured some of the athletes' voices from today's training.
Acrobats, Fireworks and a Lot of Skiing History
While preparations are still in full swing, the excitement for the party of the year is almost immeasurable. Just one more sleep, then the day is finally here: the most spectacular anniversary party ever seen in Val Gardena/Gröden is taking place in the finish area of the Saslong.
Pleased with first training run.
The FIS and the Val Gardena/Gröden OC are pleased with the first downhill training which took place today without complications - albeit on a shortened track from the Super-G start. But there will be a small change in tomorrow's training ...
What Mapel, Dressen, Fill & Co. are saying about the Downhill Training...
Now it is certain: The American Jared Goldberg is fastest on the shortened training course. Close behind him is his teammate Wiley Maple. Third placed is German Thomas Dressen.
Online Media Reports on First Downhill Training in Val Gardena/Gröden
Two Americans set the pace in today’s opening training run: Jared Goldberg was fastest in the first run ahead of Wiley Maple and German Thomas Dressen. This is how online media reported on the events:
Americans are leading first training run.
The opening training run started from the Super-G start and was half an hour later than scheduled, at 12:45 pm, on the icy and bumpy Saslong course. "The track in the upper part was softened by the snowfall at night and thus it would not have been possible to guarantee the same conditions for all 96 racers" explains Race Director Rainer Senoner.
Special Races, Special Trophies
The two winning trophies created especially for the anniversary edition of the World Cup races in Val Gardena/Gröden are made of linden wood. They will be handed to the fastest skiers at the awards ceremony after the Super-G and the downhill.
A Residual Risk Remains
Markus Waldner, FIS race director, talks to the Saslong editorial staff about the level of safety standards at World Cup races and about the importance of good course preparation.
Race Week Opened: Saslong offers Fresh Snow and Ice
The first team captains’ meeting for the World Cup races in Val Gardena/Gröden kicked off this evening at 8 pm. It was opened by the President of the Organizing Committee, Rainer Senoner, who cordially welcomed all present to the 50th edition of the World Cup races in Val Gardena/Gröden.
Saslong Editorial Board is ready!
The racetrack has been prepared, the athletes have arrived in Val Gardena/Gröden, the organization is ready to go - and with it also the Saslong editorial board, which is celebrating its 16th anniversary this year. Throughout the week, the five-person-strong team will report online about the racing events in Val Gardena/Gröden and thus keep ski fans, journalists and media people from all over the world up to date.
Anecdotes, part 3: Aksel Lund Svindal and Marc Girardelli
Aksel Lund Svindal: World Cup debut with panoramic views
"Val Gardena/Gröden is unique and very special to me. Not only because I had my World Cup speed debut here but also because I placed sixth on my first Super-G with bib number 56 - along with that guy Bode Miller - and only 11/100 seconds behind my countryman, the big Kjetil Andre Aamodt.
Opening of Südtirol Ski Trophy Hall of Fame
In just a few days, the first of the four men’s Ski World Cup races is taking place in South Tyrol. To kick it off, the Südtirol Ski Trophy Hall of Fame was inaugurated this morning in the Saslong Hut. The trophies for those who win the most points during the South Tyrol World Cup races, in Val Gardena/Gröden and Alta Badia, will be displayed here.
Anecdotes, part 2: Bernhard Russi and Hans Knauss
Bernhard Russi: Coat too small for the award ceremony
“In 1970 I surprisingly became the downhill World Champion. The whole media hype was pure chaos, the traffic in town had collapsed and my personal caregiver had lost sight of me.
Anecdotes, part 1: Peter Fill and Franz Klammer
Peter Fill: With wrong material to the finish
“Due to adverse weather conditions, the downhill start at the 2005 World Cup race in Val Gardena/Gröden had to be lowered to the super-G start.