Swiss Federation to Consider Bid for 2025 Alpine Worlds

By Published On: June 23rd, 2013Comments Off on Swiss Federation to Consider Bid for 2025 Alpine Worlds

At the recent calendar conference in Croatia, the Swiss Ski Federation indicated a future possibility for another Alpine World Championship bid with Crans Montana as the venue. The storied ski and golf complex in the south of Switzerland hosted the 1987 World Championships that was dominated by the home team. The hosts won 14 medals including five of the six downhill possibilities.

With St. Moritz hosting the 2017 games the Swiss could not bid for a another championship to take place before 2025 according to International Ski Federation (FIS) by-laws which state that national ski federations can not host World championships for eight years. To formalize the candidacy the Swiss federation must vote approval at a meeting in the spring of 2014.

Members of the FIS recently inspected a reworked ladies downhill that has been substantively improved since the 1987 World Championships took place. The alterations will make the “Mont-Lachaux” track even tougher according to women’s World Cup race director, Atle Skaardal, who was pleased with the changes he saw in a recent on-site inspection.

The Mont-Lachaux course has been one of Lindsey Vonn’s more memorable as it was here that she won her first overall downhill title with a victory. She captured a second victory here in 2010.

The newly altered course will be host to the women’s World Cup March 1 and 2, 2013 when Crans Montana will host a downhill and super combined. It will be the first speed race after the Sochi winter games and is being billed as “the Olympic Revenge” and the first time the course will be race with the new changes.

Positioned on the sunny side of the Swiss Alps, Crans Montana will have a single finish stadium for all events should the Federation capture the opportunity to host the 2025 championships. The resort, which is in the Canton of Valais, may be competing with Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, and perhaps with St. Anton am Arlberg, Austria which has yet to announce but has been strongly rumored to be seeking the World Championships again. St. Anton, known as the cradle of modern skiing, hosted the games in 2001.  GB

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