Featured Image: Aleksander Aamodt Kilde (NOR) during the Zermatt-Cervinia downhill training run. Credit: GEPA pictures/ Mario Buehner-Weinrauch

Tomorrow, the World Cup Men will give the Zermatt-Cervinia, Gran Becca track another try. Everyone is hoping that the weather holds out for the much-anticipated downhill. After the race got canceled today due to safety concerns from heavy snowfall and severe wind drifts, Chief of Race Markus Waldner said in a FIS interview, “Early this morning, at 5 a.m., we had enormous snow accumulation on the race track from wind, so there was a lot of snow in different sections of the track. There was no chance to be ready on the race track.”

Nonetheless, the athletes are crossing their fingers that they will be able to take on the course tomorrow. 

This course can be anyone’s win! There will be 17 different nations represented on the start list and every athlete will be gunning for it. Also, this downhill will make history by being the first to pass through the border of Zermatt, Switzerland, to Cervinia, Italy, on one of the largest ski resorts in the European Alps. The course was designed by 2010 Olympic champion Didier Défago of Switzerland and was approved last year by the International Federation, FIS.

Didier Défago explained his favorite aspect of the course in an interview with Matterhorn Cervino, “I think the first one for me is the Matterhorn Jump, followed by the Sérac Traverse. You have a few seconds where we are a bit slower and you get the feeling that you are in the race.” He believes it will be a nice, challenging race for the athletes.

The world is excited to see how the men take on this hill and will celebrate the opening of the 2024 downhill season.

Highest ranked eight DH men from the 2022-23 season racing in Zermatt/Cervinia

There are 11 North Americans on the November Zermatt/Cervinia DH start list

• Bib 7, James Crawford, ACA, Whistler Mountain Ski Club, HEAD, Level Gloves
• Bib 16, Ryan Cochran-Siegle, Stifel USST, Mt Mansfield Ski Academy, Cochran’s Ski Club, HEAD
• Bib 19, Jared Goldberg, Stifel USST, Snowbird Sports Educational Foundation, Rossignol, LOOK
• Bib 20, Cameron Alexander, ACA, Whistler Mountain Ski Club, Rossignol, LOOK, Level Gloves
• Bib 32, Sam Morse, Stifel USST, Carrabassett Valley Academy, Fischer,TOKO, Level Gloves
• Bib 33, Broderick Thompson, ACA, Whistler Mountain Ski Club, HEAD, Oakley, Level Gloves
• Bib 35, Bryce Bennett, Stifel USST, Team Palisades Tahoe, Fischer, Level Gloves
• Bib 36, Erik Arvidsson, Stifel USST, Team Palisades Tahoe, Middlebury College, HEAD
• Bib 47, Jeffrey Read, ACA, Banff Alpine Racers, Atomic, UVEX, Level Gloves
• Bib 55, Kyle Negomir, Stifel USST, Ski and Snowboard Club Vail, Atomic, Level Gloves
• Bib 63, Kyle Alexander, ACA, Whistler Mountain Ski Club, Rossignol, LOOK, Level Gloves

How to watch

The men’s race starts at 5:30 a.m. Eastern Time and 2:30 a.m. on the West Coast.

In the USA, the men’s World Cups in Zermatt/Cervinia will be available for viewing live and as a replay on the streaming service Ski & Snowboard Live.

In Canada, the World Cup can be viewed on CBC sports

Start list and race program for November 12th, Zermatt-Cervinia Men’s Downhill

Click on images to download the start list and program

Program for the for November 12th, Zermatt-Cervinia Men’s Downhill

Video of Zermatt-Cervinia Downhill Opener