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.
"King Aksel" is the great absentee
When one speaks of the speed classics in Val Gardena/Grôden, the name Aksel Lund Svindal has to be mentioned in the same breath. For the Norwegian, the Saslong became something like a personal race track in the course of his career. This year, however, the name of the likeable Scandinavian cannot be found in the starting list - last spring, Svindal announced his retirement attending World Cup events only from the sidelines.
VIDEO: Werner Heel as teacher for the younger ones
Following the end of his career, Werner Heel will be an onlooker at the race week in Val Gardena/Gröden for the first time this year. In the video, the South Tyrolean, who won the Super-G on the Saslong in 2008, explains how he supports the younger athletes and which winning faces he hopes to see at the two speed competitions.
Off to the fan parade!
For many years now the Fan Parade has been an integral part of the race week in Val Gardena/Gröden. The time has come again right before the classic downhill race on Saturday: Hundreds of fans will then march from St. Christina to the finish area of the Saslong.
Downhill training on Thursday shortened and moved up to 10:00 am
At the second Team Captains‘ Meeting on Wednesday evening, the cancelled training run was discussed in addition to a look at the training on Thursday.
VIDEO: Rainer Senoner about the changes in the downhill training
For the first time in the history of speed classics on the Saslong, a training run will start at 10 am. Rainer Senoner, President of the Organizing Committee of Val Gardena/Gröden, reveals how this happened and what advantages the early training start brings with it.
The training cancellation from the point of view of the international online media
The cancellation of the first training run was reported not only by the Saslong editorial office, but also in numerous online portals. Here is a short excerpt.
First downhill training cancelled
The first training run for the downhill classic on the Saslong had to be cancelled due to fog banks in the middle part of the track.
VIDEO: Peter Runggaldier on the conditions of the Saslong
We will see the World Cup super-G and downhill races on the Saslong again. We are right on the course which is going to be rather soft given the temperatures ahead. They will have to prepare the course accordingly and it will be interesting to see how the athletes will do with conditions that are markedly different from other years.
15 TV stations reporting live from the speed performances in Val Gardena/Gröden
The super-G and the downhill on the Saslong are among the great classics in the Alpine Ski World Cup - the comprehensive live coverage on TV underlines this in an impressive way.
350th race in the World Cup: a milestone for Peter Fill
When Peter Fill catapults himself out of the starting gate on Saturday in the downhill, then this local favorite breaks through a big sound barrier: The two-time winner of the downhill crystal ball is tackling his 350th race in the World Cup as part of the speed classics on the Saslong.
"Must look at it from day to day"
On Tuesday evening, the first team captains’ meeting was on the program in Selva/Wolkenstein. The main topic was the weather, which could provide some disturbances during the race week in Val Gardena/Gröden.
VIDEO: Markus Waldner on the bad weather prospects
Even though the weather forecasts for Friday and Saturday promise little to be happy about, FIS Race Director Markus Waldner remains calm. The FIS official from nearby Bressanone/Brixen wants to assess the situation from day to day with his team - and he has a solution ready even in the event of bad weather.
It’s all coming together in the media center
As in previous years, the press center for the Ski World Cup in Val Gardena/Gröden is once again located in the gymnasium of St. Cristina. The centrally located building acts as the first point of contact for all media people during the race week and is now slowly filling up.
The Saslong editorial team is ready
Everything is ready inVal Gardena/Gröden for the speed classics on the legendary Saslong. While the track is just getting the finishing touches for the upcoming training sessions and races, the Saslong editorial team has also kicked off its work.
Feuz and Mayer come to Val Gardena/Gröden as discipline leaders
If one looks at this year’s results to predict who is going to win on the Saslong, then Beat Feuz and Matthias Mayer will be the ones to beat.
Tuning in to Paris, Feuz, Kilde & Co.
It is a taste of what the ski stars can expect during the 52nd Ski World Cup in Val Gardena/Gröden. There is a lot going on at the bib draw on the Medal Plaza "La Stua" in Selva Gardena/Wolkenstein, on the evening before the two “classics".
Peter Fill: "The Saslong is already in a great condition"
The Italian national speed team trained on Wednesday and Thursday on the downhill course in Val Gardena/Gröden. The "Azzurri" found optimal conditions, as confirmed by Peter Fill.
Experience the Saslong classics in an exclusive atmosphere
For those who are looking for top-class skiing at the speed races in Val Gardena/Gröden as well for comfort, exquisite food and a great atmosphere, the VIP area SasLOUNGE is the place to be.
Claudia Rifesser: "It takes a team to make this happen"
She knows the World Cup in Val Gardena/Gröden like few others. She is the hub where all threads and information come together. She is one of the few people who works year round for one of the biggest winter sport events in Italy and has been Secretary General in Val Gardena/Gröden for one and a half years. An interview with Claudia Rifesser, who has helped shape the classic races on the Saslong for 13 years.
Snow control passed - FIS gives the green light for the classic Saslong races
After the routine snow check on Saturday, it was no surprise that FIS officially confirmed the two World Cup races in Val Gardena/Gröden planned for Friday, 20 December (Super-G) and Saturday, 21 December (downhill) thanks to the heavy snowfalls in mid-November and the cold temperatures over the past few days, which made it possible to produce enough technical snow.
The Saslong shines in winterly splendor
The past few days have seen plenty of snow falling all over South Tyrol. This is also the case in Val Gardena/Gröden, where the legendary Saslong is covered in a layer of more than 2 feet of fresh snow.
Important investments on the Saslong
As a World Cup organizer, the Saslong Classic Club puts great emphasis on professional organization. As far as technical innovation is concerned, the Val Gardena/Gröden Organizing Committee tries to keep up with the times and can rely on an excellent cooperation with its partners.
Celebrate the Val Gardena/Gröden World Cup heroes of 1970 with us!
Five decades ago, they wrote ski history in Val Gardena/Gröden. Ski legends Bernhard Russi, Patrick Russel, Michèle Jacot, Ingrid Lafforgue, Annerösli Zryd, Annemarie Moser Pröll and Florence Steurer-Penz not only provided an extraordinary spectacle but also contributed to the reputation of the Val Gardena/Gröden slopes and the whole valley with their outstanding sporting performances on the Saslong, the Cir, track 3 of the Ciampinoi and the Ronce slope.
Val Gardena/Gröden date confirmed, new start time for super-G
This year's Ski World Cup races in Val Gardena/Gröden will take place as planned on Friday, 20 (super-G) and Saturday, 21 December (downhill). The International Ski Federation FIS confirmed the two dates recently at the FIS Autumn Meeting in Zurich. At the same time, it was decided that the super-G will start on Friday at 11:45 am just like the downhill on Saturday.
Innovative security solutions: Studies have begun
Safety has always played a central role for the Saslong Classic Club. For decades, the organizers of the World Cup in Val Gardena/Gröden have been investing financial and human resources with great conviction to make the speed races on the Saslong even safer. An effort in which they are actively supported by the International Ski Federation FIS, Club 5, Dolomiti Superski and most recently the South Tyrolean NOI Techpark.
Aleksander Aamodt Kilde redeems his Südtirol Ski Trophy prize
A special star dish named after him, a wooden bust of the winner, a short holiday in South Tyrol and prize money of Euros 20,000: This is the package of prizes awarded to Norwegian ski star Aleksander Aamodt Kilde as the winner of the 2018 Südtirol Ski Trophy. The 26-year-old Scandinavian recently visited Val Gardena/Gröden where he was able to contribute to the creation of two dishes with star chefs Anna Matscher and Gerhard Wieser. Kilde also won the Südtirol Ski Trophy in 2017. The initiative was organized by IDM South Tyrol.
FIS Race Directors Waldner and Trinkl inspect the Saslong in midsummer
It is a set date which is an indispensable part of the Val Gardena/Gröden World Cup calendar: the annual midsummer inspection of the race track. Today, Monday, the time had come again. The FIS racing management, OC president Rainer Senoner and course manager Horst Demetz reviewed the past season and also discussed the relocation of the Super-G start. A move that was finally given the go-ahead.
The Saslong Classic Club looks back on an eventful year
Four instead of two traditional speed races on the Saslong; a serious accident with a happy ending thanks to a perfectly executed emergency rescue protocol; and a business year with positive end results: on Wednesday evening, the Saslong Classic Club reviewed a turbulent 2018/19 sports year as part of its traditional annual general meeting.
Secure your 2019 Saslong ticket
The legendary speed extravaganza returns to Val Gardena/Gröden in the coming winter. On Friday, 20 December, a Super-G will be held on one of the most renowned race tracks of the Ski World Cup, while Saturday, 21 December, will be dedicated to downhill skiing.