Vail-Beaver Creek 2015 gets the green light

The final inspection of the 2015 World Championship venues. Vail Beaver Creek 2015

With exactly five months left until the official start of the 2015 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships in Vail/Beaver Creek, Colo., the Local Organizing Committee hosted a successful FIS final inspection from Sep. 2–3.

Ninety representatives from FIS, the United States Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA), the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), Tridem Sports and the Local Organizing Committee and Vail and Beaver Creek resorts were on hand for the technical inspection of the race courses on Tuesday, followed by a day-long meeting on Wednesday, where the detailed reports in the lead-up to the World Championships were discussed.

Also present were representatives from the 2017 and 2019 FIS Alpine Ski World Championships in St. Moritz (SUI) and Are (SWE) as part of the FIS Transfer of Knowledge Program.

During the technical inspection a large delegation made its way down the men’s Birds of Prey course and the ladies’ Raptor course to finalize several elements along the way such as television camera and start house positions.

“The Birds of Prey course is very well-known on the tour,” said FIS Alpine Race Director Markus Waldner. “But there are still several additional elements involved with a World Championship that needed to be discussed that made today’s inspection very useful.”

For the ladies, the Raptor course made its debut only last year, making the inspection all the more important.

“The FIS World Cup that served as the Test Event was quite successful last season, but we needed to fine tune a few aspects and especially prepare the technical events,” said FIS Ladies’ Alpine Race Director Atle Skaardal.

On Wednesday, everyone moved indoors where the Vail Organizing Committee presented its final preparations for the World Championships. Details such as sport organisation, volunteers, transportation, accreditation, accommodation, media services, broadcast operations, technology, security, medical, ceremonies, guest services, marketing and promotion, study groups and transfer of knowledge were discussed by the group as Vail Valley prepares for the world to descend from Feb. 2-15 to ‘Dream it. Live it. Share it.’

“Vail is well on track to host a very successful World Championships,” said FIS Secretary General Sarah Lewis. “The World Championships in 1999 were already a big success, and the Local Organizing Committee is working extremely hard to ensure that the 2015 edition will be much bigger and better. Particular focus is on engaging the entire country as well as globally and I think the world can truly look forward to a fantastic event in February.”

Release courtesy of FIS