2018-19 World Championship candidates count down the days

By Published On: May 26th, 2014Comments Off on 2018-19 World Championship candidates count down the days
FIS World Championships medals. FIS

FIS World Championships silver, gold, and bronze medals. FIS

In 10 days, the 2018 and 2019 FIS World Championship organizers will be elected by the FIS Council in conjunction with a cocktail reception during the FIS Congress week in Barcelona, Spain.

During the Congress week, the candidates will present their plans and meet the extended FIS family at their exhibition stands. It will be a busy week for them with each candidate making a final presentation to the FIS Council and also giving the respective technical committees a report about their candidacy.

The final announcement of the results of the elections for the 2018 and 2019 FIS World Championship organizers will take place on June 5, 2014.

In contention are (in alphabetical order):

Alpine (2019)

  • Åre, Sweden

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The FIS Alpine World Ski Championships 2007 in Åre was groundbreaking in many ways. Fifty-three years after the first championships in Åre, more than 80,000 spectators came to cheer for the world’s top racers and enjoy the activities in the Festival Arena and take part in exciting side events. Host Sweden’s success laid the foundation for the growth of alpine skiing. The resort of Åre became a dream destination for international ski guests.

Åre and the Swedish Ski Association are proud of the 2007 edition – but good can become great! Together with the town and resort of Åre, the Swedish Ski Association stands ready to host the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships 2019 that will be extraordinary, more impressive and innovative than ever before.

Åre 2019 will use the latest technology to host the teams, media and guests, and ensure that the event is as green and climate-smart as possible.The championships will help attract the stars of the future and convince new sponsors and partners to join our sport. The competition venue will be further developed, to produce better races, allow easier access and offer a unique spectator experience.

Åre is the heart of Swedish alpine skiing. Most importantly, the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships 2019 are perfectly aligned with the Vision 2020, Åre’s growth strategy and the shared vision that seeks to establish Åre as northern Europe’s most attractive year-round alpine destination.

  • Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy

Cortina d'Ampezzo

Cortina d’Ampezzo, one of the most famous ski resorts in Italy – recently awarded Italy’s best Ski Resort 2013 at the World Ski Awards – is bidding for the fourth consecutive time to host the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships.

Cortina’s strategic location in the heart of the Alps, its long-term sports tradition and vast experience in organizing sports events, in addition to its impressive surroundings and beauty are not the only key assets for its candidature. Cortina’s bid is linked to strategic remodernization with huge investments in slopes, roads, ski lifts and other tourist infrastructures. Many of these projects are already underway.

A team of 20 young and enthusiastic locals are working hard for the bid together with the experienced World Cup 0rganizers and are keen to host the 2019 World Championships. Most importantly, the candidature is supported by the local population and all economic categories and political forces. Specific agreements such as the Multi-Party Agreement signed by all political stakeholders as well as letters of support by all Italian World Cup organizers, universities, regional committees of the Italian Ski Association and contracts signed by individual hotels will ensure smooth preparation and delivery of the event.

Nordic (2019)

  • Almaty, Kazakhstan

800px-TV-Turm_Almaty_-_3

Almaty is located in the heart of Eurasia at the foot of the Tien Shan Mountains, building a bridge of contact for Eastern and Western cultures. The modern financial, business, cultural and multinational centre is made up of citizens whose interests include both winter and summer sports.

The development of Nordic sports in Almaty led to the construction of the newest venues which were built for the 7th Asian Winter Games 2011. Today, Almaty features modern ski jumping and Nordic combined complexes with five jumping hills (K125, K 95, K60, K40, K20) and a Nordic combined course that fully meets FIS requirements. Moreover the nearby modern cross-country center is fully equipped for hosting top level events.

The city of Almaty, which is the largest in Kazakhstan, consists of a developed infrastructure, a stable economy in addition to beautiful natural surroundings. Besides the FIS World Championship candidacy, Almaty is proud to have received the honour to host the 28th Winter Universiade in 2017 and is one of the Applicant Cities for the Olympic Winter Games 2022.

The nation of Kazakhstan is known for keeping traditions and providing outstanding hospitality which will be supported by the spirit of many volunteers who are set to be an integral part of the event organization.

  • Oberstdorf, Germany

Large support for the candidature of Oberstdorf

The German municipality of Oberstdorf is a joint candidate for both the 2018 Ski Jumping World Championships and the 2019 Nordic Ski World Championships. Sport thrives from the support of enthusiastic people who like to visit attractive venues and who like to care for their guests. This is why so many inhabitants of Oberstdorf have already supported the candidature campaign “Enjoy Oberstdorf Ski Flying and Nordic Ski World Championships 2018 and 2019″ with a photograph showing them cheering.

From an organizational perspective, the venues are ready and are offering the best conditions for exciting competitions. One of the world’s most beautiful ski jumping stadiums is situated directly at the outskirts of Oberstdorf. Located within short distance from the hill, the modern cross-country stadium also offers all features for fascinating competitions.

Meanwhile, located in the middle of the Stillach valley, the Heini Klopfer Ski Flying Hill provides athletes with the best opportunities to fly.

During the World Championship events in 1987 and 2005, more than 750,000 spectators from all over the world joined the celebrations in Oberstdorf. This is where Oberstdorf would like to continue with the goal to organize unforgettable festivals of ski sport for athletes, teams, officials, the media and spectators alike.

  • Planica, Slovenia

Planica's creative bid

Slovenia is a storied land with hundreds of years of tradition, so it seems only fitting to introduce Planica’s bid to host the 2019 Championships with a fairy tale:

“In the 17th century, when the first traces of his skis cut into the snow-covered Slovenian countryside, the skier from Bloke (known as the man with a strange walk) became a hero of our time, with his name written in gold in the history of Slovenia. He was a Slovenian, a nobody who became a somebody, a person who accepted everything that nature had to offer and helped to write the history of skiing in Slovenia.”

Planica is one of the most beautiful valleys in the Alps — a special place where Nordic sports started to developed. The new Nordic center, currently being finalized, is built by the highest standards, which would allow Planica to organize such a major event. This year, Planica already hosted the FIS World Cup Finals in ski jumping on the new Bloudek hill.

In the next year, the cross-country stadium, with all the necessary facilities and tracks, will be finished. A new era will then begin in Planica.

Cross-country skier Petra Majdič, Planica 2019 Ambassador, perhaps summed it up best when she said, “Small countries deserve an opportunity as well.” Former ski jumper Franci Petek, also Planica 2019 Ambassador, added: “My father first took me to Planica when I was six years old. It is a charming tradition that the Slovenian people go to Planica. I cherish the tradition and take my kids to Planica every year, and I know they will want to see the WCS in 2019.”

  • Seefeld, Austria

SeefeldExpertise in Nordic sports and tourism, an excellent infrastructure and internationally renowned Tyrolean hospitality – these key words describe Seefeld and what it has to offer.

”We know that Almaty, Oberstdorf and Planica are good and strong competitors but we are ready and raring to go. We are backed by the population of the Olympic region of Seefeld, our partners and the Austrian Ski Association. We are highly motivated and enthusiastic and will try our hardest to win the bid for the 2019 World Championships,” Seefeld Mayor Werner Friesser said.

The tourist resort is situated on a high plateau at an altitude of 1,200 meters with guaranteed snow and good transportation links by airplane, train and car. It has an impressive list of top-class accommodation with 8,400 guest beds, featuring 15,000 guest beds in total, and an additional 44,000 beds within a radius of 25km.

Seefeld has a long tradition in Nordic skiing and has become a real Nordic mecca thanks to the two Olympic Games in Innsbruck/Seefeld in 1964 and 1976, the 1985 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships and the first Youth Olympic Games in 2012. The modern Centre of Expertise consisting of two jumping hills, 280 km of cross-country tracks, a roller ski track and a World Cup-approved biathlon facility reinforces Seefeld’s Nordic competence in hosting major sporting events.

Top international athletes travel to Seefeld for a variety of competitions including the annual FIS Nordic Combined World Cup, FIS Cross-Country races, the Alpencup and Continental Cup. They also visit to take advantage of the fabulous training conditions both in summer and winter. The excellent infrastructure in Seefeld combined with the Bergisel Arena in Innsbruck, one of the famous Four-Hills Tournament sites, will guarantee an unrivaled setting for the 2019 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships.

Ski Jumping (2018)

  • Oberstdorf, Germany (see profile above)

Freestyle Ski and Snowboard (2019)

  • Park City, USA

2014 Olympic qualifying halfpipe event at Park City Mountain Resort, site of the 2002 Olympic Winter Games

Park City, Utah is the sole candidate bidding to host the 2019 FIS Freestyle Ski & Snowboard World Championships.

A unique opportunity has been presented by the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA), announcing its interest in hosting the 2019 FIS Freestyle Ski & Snowboard World Championships in Park City. The event will be held at three resorts (Deer Valley Resort, Canyons Resort and Park City Mountain Resort), and will involve partnerships with the Park City Chamber and Visitors Bureau, Summit County and the Utah Sports Commission.

The United States has traditionally been the cultural home of freestyle and snowboarding competitions, and Park City has a great legacy of hosting world class events. Park City is home to some of the most experienced events hosts in the world, having hosted FIS World Cups, Grand Prix events, World Championship events across multiple disciplines and several events of the 2002 Olympic Winter Games.

This event will bring the best athletes in the world by embracing all of the freestyle and snowboarding community. Partnerships with key groups in each sport including AFP and TTR are already in place to ensure an event roster including the world’s top-ranked athletes. The USSA has a long track record of attracting spectators and television viewers, and this event will only serve to grow those audiences.

Release courtesy of FIS

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