International Ski Federation (FIS) officials announced yesterday (Feb. 13) that the man-made slope in downtown Moscow, Russia is ready for a World Cup city event scheduled to take place Feb. 21.

“There is sufficient snow, everything is a go,” confirmed Hans Pieren, FIS Race Director for the men’s technical events, who conducted the official snow control in Moscow’s Luzhniki Olympic Complex.

Following World Cup test events at the 2014 Olympic venues in Sochi last weekend (men) and this coming weekend (women), the top 15 ranked men and women in the overall World Cup standings will make their way to Moscow for the first ever World Cup race there – a parallel slalom. Two wild card starts will also be awarded to the host nation for one Russian male and female racer. 

A non-World Cup promotional race was held in Moscow on a similar structure in 2009 featuring only men competitors. The Moscow race will be the only city event on the World Cup tour this season after a similar event was canceled in Munich.

Image by Gepa