Distinguished guests grace the events around the Saslong races.

The Val Gardena/Gröden Race Week attracts ski enthusiasts from various regions, eager to witness the thrilling races at the base of Sassolungo/Langkofel. This year is no exception, with spectators along the course enjoying the presence of notable figures from the realms of sports and politics.

Tensions are running high in the battle for the DOLOMITES Val Gardena Südtirol Ski Trophy

Once again this year, the racer who scores the most World Cup points in the speed events on the Saslong will receive a special prize: the DOLOMITES Val Gardena Südtirol Ski Trophy. After two of three races, the battle for the trophy could not be more exciting.

Austrian double victory by a hundredth of a second in a super-G thriller

This super-G on the Saslong was not for the faint-hearted. In an exhilarating race with extremely close time gaps, Austrian Vincent Kriechmayr found the fastest line, securing victory by a wafer-thin margin just ahead of his teammate Daniel Hemetsberger.

Taking Full Risks: Vincent Kriechmayr's Thrilling super-G Victory on the Saslong

"Luck often materializes in mere hundredths of a second, a truth Vincent Kriechmayr experienced in Friday's super-G, clinching his third triumph on the Saslong with the thinnest of margins. For the Austrian, the immediate post-race realization was that a bold and risky strategy had played a pivotal role in securing victory.

Kilde is the man to beat in the super-G

The race week on the Saslong in Val Gardena/Gröden kicked off with the sprint downhill on Thursday. On Friday, a super-G will follow at the foot of the Sassolungo/Langkofel, in which the Norwegian Aleksander Aamodt Kilde is the one to beat.

"Outstanding work by the entire OC team."

After the first speed competition of this year's winter was finally held on Thursday with the Sprint Downhill on the Saslong, many beaming faces were present at the team captains' meeting in the evening.

Bryce Bennett Takes the Spotlight in the First Downhill Race in Val Gardena/Gröden

The initial speed race of the 56th Saslong Classic concluded with a significant surprise: Bryce Bennett, last year's underappreciated American skier, outperformed the entire field with bib number 34, securing his second victory in the World Cup.

"I feel comfortable here."

The winner of the shortened downhill on the Saslong is not top favorite Aleksander Aamodt Kilde, but Bryce Bennett. We caught up with the protagonists after the first of three speed events on the Saslong.

A downhill race under the banner of the 2029 World Cup candidacy

The first Val Gardena/Gröden downhill on Thursday unfolded against a dreamlike backdrop: freshly snow-covered Dolomite peaks, impeccable slope conditions on the Saslong, and a brilliant blue sky combined to create a beautiful scene possibly unparalleled worldwide.

Weight room & visit to the physio: The "free" day from the perspective of a speed skier

Race cancellations are more commonplace than ever in this year's Ski World Cup. The second downhill training session in Val Gardena/Gröden was also canceled due to the weather. But what does a "free" day for a speed racer look like? We had a quick chat with local hero Florian Schieder from Castelrotto/Kastelruth.

Here we go: The start list for the first Val Gardena/Gröden downhill is set.

On Wednesday evening, the bib numbers for the first of two downhill races of the 56th Saslong Classic were announced at the team captains' meeting in Selva/Wolkenstein.

“We are convinced that we can present a race-ready race track"

At the third team captains' meeting in Selva/Wolkenstein on Wednesday evening, the focus was primarily on the weather. While the snowfall on Wednesday did not allow for a final training session, the organizers are doing their best to put together a fair downhill on Thursday.

Markus Foser and his Record for Eternity

On December 17, 1993, Markus Foser made international ski sports history on the Saslong. With big number 66, the man from Liechtenstein raced to victory in Val Gardena/Gröden, and to this day, no other racer with a higher starting number has won a World Cup downhill. Thirty years after his triumph, Foser returns to Val Gardena/Gröden as part of the 56th Saslong Classic, and we had the opportunity to interview the affable former racer beforehand.

The Val Gardena/Gröden races will be broadcast live on TV and via stream.

From Thursday to Saturday, two downhill races and a super-G at the foot of the Sassolungo/Langkofel will once again guarantee a skiing spectacle of the very finest. In the coming days, numerous broadcasters will report live from Val Gardena/Gröden - the races can be followed either on TV or via stream in real-time.

Downhill training on Wednesday canceled

The second training run for the downhill races on the Saslong has been canceled due to snowfall overnight.

Val Gardena/Gröden is hosting the opening men's speed season: "An unusual situation."

There were no races in Zermatt-Cervinia, and numerous cancellations occurred in Beaver Creek as well; the start of the season hasn't been favorable for the speed races thus far. The fact that the first races of the winter will take place on the Saslong in mid-December is a new scenario for all athletes. On the sidelines of the first downhill training session, we inquired about how this unfamiliar situation impacted their mindset and what goals the racers had for the Val Gardena/Gröden race week.

Second Downhill Training Run Moved to 10:30 am

The second training run for the prestigious downhill classic on the historic Saslong has been rescheduled from 11:45 am to 10:30 am due to anticipated weather conditions. This announcement was made by the organizers of the 56th Saslong Classic during the second team captains' meeting on Tuesday evening in Selva/Wolkenstein.

Goldberg sets first benchmark

On Tuesday, the action kicked off at the base of the Sassolungo/Langkofel mountain with the first training session for the upcoming downhill races in Val Gardena/Gröden on the renowned Saslong course. Jared Goldberg, hailing from the United States and displaying a close connection with Saslong, navigated the course expertly, securing the top spot in the initial training run with a swift time of 2:02.19 minutes.

DOLOMITES Val Gardena Südtirol Ski Trophy: Will Aleksander Aamodt Kilde celebrate again?

Since 2016, the fastest racer of the Ski World Cup in Val Gardena/Gröden has won an additional prize. The winner of the so-called DOLOMITES Val Gardena South Tyrol Ski Trophy can look forward to an authentic 3D wooden bust, extra prize money of 5,000 euros, a short stay in Val Gardena/Gröden and a climb of the Sassolungo/Langkofel accompanied by a local expert mountain guide.

"Possibilities for Surprises"

In the first downhill training session, the Saslong revealed a somewhat different facet of its usual profile, marked by unfamiliar terrain and extended jumps, ultimately clinched by the US American, Jared Goldberg. Here's a compilation of insights from some key racers following the training.

Live on-site: The experienced Saslong editorial team is ready to roll.

The entire Val Gardena/Gröden region is geared up for the 56th edition of the Saslong Classic in an XXL format. From Thursday to Saturday, three races—two downhill races and a super-G—will unfold at the base of the Sassolungo/Langkofel. While the world's top speed aces take on the first downhill training on Tuesday, the Saslong editorial team has already commenced their work.

The teams are eager for the first downhill training in Val Gardena/Gröden

The 56th Saslong Classic opened on Monday evening with the traditional team captains' meeting at the Community Center in Selva/Wolkenstein.

Premiere of the Speed Clinic with many beaming faces

Gently introducing young female racers to the speed disciplines - that is the aim of the Speed Clinic in a nutshell. The first edition of this exceptional training camp for young women at the end of November on Piz Sella was a sensational success - on all levels.

The whole Saslong team is ready

The Sunday evening kick-off meeting before the Val Gardena/Gröden race week is essential, bringing together the Saslong Classic Club board, the organizing committee, and representatives from involved institutions and local security forces. This gathering marks the eagerly anticipated start of the South Tyrolean winter sports festival.

Clear the stage for the 56th Saslong Classic in Val Gardena

In the 2023/24 season, the ski world can once again look forward to one of its true World Cup classics next week. And a triple-edition at that: A downhill race that was canceled in Zermatt-Cervinia will be hosted on the Saslong on Thursday, 14 December, before the original program is held with the super-G on Friday, 15 December and the downhill on Saturday, 16 December. Once again, everything is in place for the big South Tyrolean ski festival. 

Get discounted Saslong tickets

INITIATIVE: Thursday races at a special price to celebrate skiing

This year, the Ski World Cup in Val Gardena/Gröden will host three thrilling races on the last weekend before Christmas. For the opening downhill race on Thursday, 14 December, the Saslong Classic Club is extending a special offer on tickets for skiing enthusiasts who have already purchased or plan to purchase tickets for either of the other two races.

Val Gardena gets Green Light from FIS Snow Inspection

The anticipation for the 56th Saslong Classic soars as the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) gives its stamp of approval following the mandatory snow inspection. The trio of World Cup races in Val Gardena scheduled for the last weekend before Christmas is now officially confirmed.

Val Gardena to host a third World Cup race this years

Like last year, three men's World Cup races in the speed disciplines are on the program as part of the Saslong Classic. One of the two canceled races of the Matterhorn Cervino Speed Opening will be made up for on Thursday, December 14 in Val Gardena/Gröden.

Val Gardena prepares for the 56th Saslong Classic

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.

The course for the future is set in Zurich

The Hilton Zurich Airport Hotel was once again the venue for the annual FIS Autumn Meetings last week. An extremely active participant was the Saslong Classic Club, which not only joined the other Ski World Cup organizers in getting ready for the 2023/24 season, but also presented its bid for the 2029 Alpine World Ski Championships.