In Val Gardena/Gröden everything is ready for the 54th Saslong Classic with audience

The long wait for the renowned speed classics on the Saslong has come to an end. On Friday, December 17, a Super-G will be held at the Alpine Ski World Cup in Val Gardena/Gröden, followed by the absolute highlight of the top-class South Tyrolean winter sports event on Saturday, December 18 with the downhill. After an intensive preparation phase, nothing stands in the way of an athletic fireworks display that spectators will be able to witness again this year.

Who will win this year’s DOLOMITES Val Gardena South Tyrol Ski Trophy?

The World Cup organizers in Val Gardena/Gröden, together with the tourism managers of DOLOMITES Val Gardena Marketing, have set a special prize with the goal of enhancing the classics on the Saslong. In this competition, the racer who scores the most World Cup points in the races at the foot of the Sassolungo/Langkofel mountain on the last weekend before Christmas can once again look forward to the DOLOMITES Val Gardena South Tyrol Ski Trophy and thus to an original 3D wooden bust, as well as extra prize money of 5,000 euros and a short vacation in Val Gardena/Gröden.

Snow control passed - curtain up for the 54th Saslong Classic on December 17 and 18

One and a half weeks before the first downhill training, the traditional FIS snow control took place on the Saslong on Saturday. After this routine procedure, the International Ski Federation confirmed the World Cup races in Val Gardena/Gröden. The program includes a training run each on Wednesday, December 15 and Thursday, December 16. The Super-G, on the other hand, will take place on Friday, December 17, while one of Italy's biggest winter sports events will conclude with the Downhill on Saturday, December 18.

We are looking forward to welcoming you back!

Dear friend of the Saslong Classic Club:

After two long years, it is now official! At this year's Audi FIS Ski World Cup Val Gardena/Gröden, fans can join us live on site. That's why you can once again cheer loudly for your idols when they race for the coveted winner's trophies on Friday, December 17 and Saturday, December 18, 2021 as part of the 54th Saslong Classic.

Val Gardena/Gröden is Italy’s Candidate for the 2029 Alpine Ski World Championships

Val Gardena/Gröden has come a first step closer to its big dream of hosting the 2029 Alpine World Ski Championships. The Italian winter sports federation FISI voted on Thursday noon in favor of a candidacy of the South Tyrolean World Cup organizer at the international level. In the duel with Sestriere, Val Gardena/Gröden prevailed in a secret vote with 8:2 votes of the total of ten delegates. Val Gardena/Gröden hosted World Championships in 1970.

Val Gardena/Gröden is positioning itself for sustainable World Ski Championships in 2029

The legendary Saslong and Ciampinoi-3 slopes are to host the Alpine World Ski Championships for the second time since 1970. Val Gardena/Gröden would like to host resource-saving competitions in seven and a half years and wants to make use of already existing slopes and predominantly existing infrastructures. A dossier was recently handed over to the Italian winter sports federation FISI, whose board will choose between Val Gardena/Gröden and the second candidate Sestriere on September 9. After that, the winner of this preliminary election at national level can submit its official candidacy to the international ski federation FIS.

Val Gardena/Gröden inspires the entire ski circuit once again

Despite all that is going on, everything was ready in Val Gardena/Gröden shortly before Christmas for a spectacular World Cup weekend at the foot of the Sassolungo/Langkofel mountain. The Saslong Classic Club around President Rainer Senoner provided flawlessly organized races in its usual professional manner and offered athletes, staff and journalists a safe working environment thanks to a well thought-out preparation.

Kilde doubles up with a downhill victory in Val Gardena/Gröden

Aleksander Aamodt Kilde is the outstanding athlete of the 53rd Saslong Classic. Just one day after his super-G triumph, the Norwegian followed up in the downhill classic and raced to his third victory overall at the foot of the Sassolungo/Langkofel mountain.

"It's great to follow in the footsteps of my idol"

With his triumph in the downhill - his second victory within 24 hours - Aleksander Aamodt Kilde finally crowned himself the superstar of the 53rd Saslong Classic. The voices of the protagonists.

"One of the most difficult and most beautiful editions"

With the victory of the outstanding Aleksander Aamodt Kilde, an extraordinary Val Gardena/Gröden race week came to an end on Saturday. The president of the Saslong Classic Club, Rainer Senoner, can look back on a successful World Cup stage under special circumstances.

DOLOMITES Val Gardena Südtirol Ski Trophy also goes to Kilde

The inaugural winner of the DOLOMITES Val Gardena Südtirol Ski Trophy is Aleksander Aamodt Kilde. The Norwegian grabbed the most World Cup points in this year's speed events on the Saslong and can now look forward to winning the prestigious special prize.

News on Kilde's victory in downhill classic makes it around the world

A large number of national and international online media devoted a report to the downhill triumph of Norwegian Aleksander Aamodt Kilde. Here is a short excerpt.

Urs Kryenbühl starting with bib 1 in the downhill race

On Friday evening, the team captains' meeting featured the bib number assignment for Saturday's downhill.

"The entire team has done an excellent job"

At the fourth and last team leaders' meeting of the race week in Val Gardena/Gröden, the last details for the downhill classic on Saturday were finalized and first words of gratitude were also expressed to the organization team of the 53rd Saslong Classic.

Kilde leaves everyone in the dust in the super-G

The winner of the super-G of Val Gardena/Gröden hails once again from Norway: Aleksander Aamodt Kilde was unbeatable on Friday in fantastic skiing conditions triumphing for the second time on the venerable Saslong.

"Implemented my plan perfectly"

Once again, a Norwegian skier beamed from the highest podium in a World Cup race on the Saslong: Aleksander Aamodt Kilde was the celebrated winner in Friday’s super-G. The voices on the race.

Norwegian in pole position at DOLOMITES Val Gardena Ski Trophy

In addition to the two races - the super-G on Friday and the downhill on Saturday - the best speed specialists in the world are also in the run to win another prize at the 53rd Saslong Classic: The athlete who collects the most World Cup points during the race week in Gardena-Gröden will capture the DOLOMITES Val Gardena Südtirol Ski Trophy.

Press review of the super-G

The super-G victory of Norwegian Aleksander Aamodt Kilde did not go unnoticed by the international online media. Here is a short excerpt.

Gianpaolo Piazzi wins the Saslong Photo Contest

Im Rahmen der 53. Saslong Classic wurde zum zweiten Mal der Fotowettbewerb „Saslong – Passion & Performance“ ausgeschrieben. Beim Wettbewerb, der vom Saslong Classic Club und der Saslonch Hütte organisiert wurde, eroberte Gianpaolo Piazzi mit seinem sehenswerten Schnappschuss den ersten Platz.

Local hero Dominik Paris opens the super-G

On Thursday evening, the starting bib numbers for the super-G on the Saslong were assigned during the team captains' meeting.

Successful final training with a bad aftertaste.

The third team captains' meeting on Thursday focused on the second downhill training and on Friday’s super-G.

Norway's top duo flexes muscles in second training session

On Thursday, the second downhill training on the Saslong took place in glorious weather. The Norwegian speed aces left the entire competition behind in the dress rehearsal for the classic race on Saturday.

Paris & Co. still looking for the fastest fall line

In the two training runs for the downhill on Saturday, the three South Tyrolean speed racers Dominik Paris, Christof Innerhofer and Florian Schieder were unable to keep up with the fastest. Following the second training session, the local trio answered questions from the Saslong editorial team.

Kilde: "There are many favorites for the weekend"

Norway's Aleksander Aamodt Kilde was unbeatable in the final training for the downhill classic on Saturday. Despite setting the best time, the winner of the 2018 Gardena-Gröden Downhill was unassuming with regard to the two races this weekend.

The second training as reported on by the international online media

Several national and international online media reported on the second downhill training on the Saslong. Here is a short excerpt

The Jumps and Bumps of the Saslong

The venerable Saslong at the foot of the Sassolungo/Langkofel mountain is one of the most attractive courses in the entire ski circuit. Here are the key sections of the 3,446-meter-long downhill run.

These European TV channels will broadcast the Val Gardena/Gröden performances live

TV coverage takes on even greater importance with the speed events on the legendary Saslong taking place in front of empty grand stands this year. Several channels will broadcast the races live this weekend. 

USA and Norway dominate the first training session

The first of two training runs for the downhill classic on the Saslong was held in Val Gardena/Gröden on Wednesday. On a shortened course, US skier Jared Goldberg clocked the best time … somewhat surprisingly.

Promising weather forecasts make us want to do more

During the second team leaders' meeting on Wednesday, the focus was on the first training run and the weather forecasts for the coming days.

"The race track is already in very good condition".

In the first downhill training on the Saslong, which was started from the super-G start due to fog banks in the uppermost sections of the course, Jared Goldberg from the USA was unbeatable. Here are the voices of the racers.