The skiers all agreed after the first training session today on the Saslong: the piste is considerably bumpier and rougher compared to other years. Werner Heel put it perfectly: “In the Ciaslat meadow your skis are in the air more than on the snow.� Click here for the first impression of the first training run.

For the past 50 years skiing pioneer, Erich Demetz, has shaped the ongoings of the skiing world as an honorary functionary not only in Val Gardena, but even in Italy and on the international stage. Demetz will hand over his chairmanship of the FIS World Cup Committe next spring after 28 years and will thereby end his career.

No less than the reigning champion himself will open the first Downhill time trial on the Saslong. The first official training run on Wednesday, 18th December will in fact see Steven Nyman, the American who surprised everyone by winning the Downhill in 2012, start first.

In 2011 the Gardena/Gröden Downhill had to be cut short due to strong winds, 2012 the race could only take place on a shortened race course. These last years the organizers of the Worldcup races on the Saslong have not been very lucky with the weather. This year they have a meteorologist on site as well as two weather stations to help predict the weather as accurately as possible, thereby enabling them to react to changing conditions as fast as possible.

This Friday and Saturday (20th and 21st December) will once again see the speed races in Gardena/Gröden on the Ski Worldcup programme. Tomorrow, Wednesday, 18th December the best Downhill racers in the world will tackle the Saslong for the first time: The first training run is due to start at 12.15.

Checking the newspapers to see who had the fastest time in the first training run on the Saslong in Gardena/Gröden? That is way outdated. In 2013 the Internet editorial staff of  www.saslong.org will report on the training runs and the races on the Saslong on the official Homepage, on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

The highlight of the fan festival consists of the traditional and very popular Fan Parade. It will take place on Saturday ahead of the Downhill race. Kick-off is at 10:45 am from Garni Marina. Equipped with the many banners, drums, bells and...

VIP Area
The VIP Tent is called aew Saslounge and offers two exciting options: “Feel Free� and “Platinum�.

Some ski courses will have limited accessibility to the public during the FIS World Cup races in Val Gardena/Gröden December 15th through 24th. Here is an overview: 
Race course Saslong will be closed from 4:00 pm on December 15th to 8:30 am on December 24th.

Twelve Super-G races have seen ten athletes from five nations on the winning podium. Michael Walchhofer and Aksel Lund Svindal won the race twice. Switzerland is the leading nation with four victories,...

Saslong has hosted 50 Downhill races since 1969. The winners count 34 athletes from nine nations. Record holders are Kristian Ghedina and Franz Klammer with four, followed by Peter Müller with three ...

The speed specialists of the Italian ski team are back from overseas and will be practicing tomorrow and the day after tomorrow on the Saslong in Gardena/Gröden. Race Director Rainer Senoner confirmed that the lift company has reserved the course for the Italians...

The International Ski Federation FIS has given the go-ahead for both World Cup ski races in Gardena/Gröden, scheduled for December 20th and 21st.

Two FIS races are planned in Garden/Gröden on December 2nd and 3rd. The races include a Super Combi and a Super-G and will both run on Piz Sella.

The upcoming three Ski World Cup races in South Tyrol were introduced at a press conference in Bolzano/Bozen. Gardena/Gröden and Alta Badia will be hosting a total of three races this winter: Super-G and Downhill on the Saslong, Giant Slalom on the Gran Risa.

Each year before Christmas, the Ski fans from all over the world turn their attention to the Saslong in Val Gardena/Gröden in South Tyrol, Italy.

For the first time, World Cup Gardena Gröden is cooperating with AEW, one of Northern Italy’s leading energy companies. AEW has a market share of 50% in South Tyrol, counting 175,000 active contracts.

The Saslong course is covered in snow from top to bottom. Approximately 15 inches of snow have fallen at the Start, 10 inches at the Finish.

Course Director Horst Demetz and his team members have started preparatory works on the Saslong World Cup course on October 7th. This includes setting safety nets, selecting video positions for the live broadcast, ...

Ski World Cup Gardena/Gröden is once again continuing its successful cooperation with the leading European sporting goods chain Sportler AG.