Brian Pinelli
Photo: GEPA pictures
At the 53rd International Ski Congress, the FIS Council determined that inclusion of any Alpine Combined events for the upcoming season be put on hold until further discussions next spring.
The Swiss ski resort which was home to the first organized downhill ski race in 1911 has been awarded the 2027 FIS Alpine World Ski Championship.
Forty years after it lasted hosted a memorable world championship in 1987, Crans Montana will once again have the opportunity to host the world’s best men’s and women’s ski racers.
Crans Montana convincingly won its bid receiving 11 votes from the FIS Council, while opponents Narvik (NOR) and Soldeu (AND) each received three votes, and Garmisch-Partenkirchen (GER) one vote.
The election was conducted at the 53rd International Ski Congress on Wednesday in Milan and the official announcement made by FIS president Johan Eliasch at a Gala dinner with National Ski Association representatives in attendance.
Crans Montana organizing committee chief executive Daniel Bollinger and vice-president Hugo Steinegger were congratulated on stage by Eliasch after the official announcement.
“We promise you that we will do really outstanding championships because we are expecting more than 200,000 spectators in our resort and we will be ready for absolutely ambitious and tremendous world championships,” Steinegger said.
In Crans Montana’s presentation video to the FIS Council, Swiss tennis legend Roger Federer makes a cameo appearance stating: “Crans Montana 2027, relive the magic.”
Eliasch praised not only Crans Montana, but the three losing candidatures urging them to bid again in the future.
“We had four excellent bids to host the 2027 Alpine World Championships and it certainly was not an easy decision,” said FIS president Johan Eliasch. “Crans Montana brought a passion to its bid that you could feel. Bringing the Alpine World Ski Championships to the heart of Alpine Skiing in 2027 will be an unbelievable opportunity.”
Crans Montana, located in the Valais Canton of Switzerland, proved that persistence paid off achieving the victory after losing its bid to Saalbach, Austria to host the 2025 championships.
Two-time Olympic combined champion Michelle Gisin and Swiss Ski president Urs Lehmann also highlighted Crans Montana’s numerous attributes and rich history in their presentation video.
“This dream of the whole valley is fully supported by the Swiss Ski Federation,” Gisin said, before introducing Lehmann.
Gisin noted that Crans Montana, a classic venue on the women’s World Cup tour will focus on “authenticity, sustainability, environment and innovation” in 2027.
Lehmann, the 1993 downhill world champion, also promised a gamechanging event in five years time.
“The huge spectator, media and sponsor interest in alpine skiing in Switzerland guarantee a wonderful event and a great appearance, also securing additional value for the FIS family,” Lehmann proclaimed. “The long-lasting experience combined with the innovative strength of the local organizing committee in Crans Monta, supported by Swiss Ski, will assure a great event.”
The Mont Lachaux slope will used for women’s races and the National piste for men’s event, both culminating in a joint finish area. Both courses have recently been re-designed.
Mont Lachaux starts at 2,210 meters and is renowned for it’s technically challenging and selective nature with a complex lower section conducive to excellent views for spectators.
The National slope promises a stern test for the men kicking off at 2,526 meters and running a lengthy 3.6 kilometers with a difference in altitude of 1,000 meters. A new ultra-modern, multi-functional finish area stadium is planned to built for 2027.
At the previous 1987 Crans Montana world championship Swiss skiers dominated, winning eight of ten gold medals. Pirmin Zurbriggen, Maria Walliser and Erika Hess each sped to a pair of gold medals, while Peter Mueller and Vreni Schneider also won events.
Lone candidates in Nordic, freestyle and snowboard, and ski flying were also awarded future world championships. Falun, Sweden was confirmed as host of 2027 Nordic World Ski Championships, Montefon, Austria for the 2027 Freestyle Skiing and Snowboard Championships, and Oberstdorf, Germany will home to Ski Flying Worlds in 2026 .
Alpine Combined snubbed by the FIS decision makers
The FIS Council also conducted its Spring meeting in-person for the first time since the pandemic. Orders of business included reports from organising committees of the FIS World Championships and both Beijing 2022 and Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games, the appointment of technical officials, proposals from the FIS Technical Committees, FIS World Cup calendars and rules updates.
“It was a very positive and productive meeting with our last gathering together before the next FIS Council is elected tomorrow,” said FIS President Johan Eliasch, who is running unopposed for a new term to lead the organization. “Today’s meeting sets the perfect tone for tomorrow’s Congress where our General Assembly will continue to propel FIS forward with its decisions.”
Noteworthy decisions taken by the FIS Council included approval of all World Cup calendars across all disciplines for the 2022-2023 season. Forty women’s events and 42 men’s event are officially on the schedule, including the new early season Zermatt to Cervinia downhill race for both men and women. The tour will also return to the United States for men’s races in Aspen and Palisades Tahoe following February’s Courchevel- Meribel world championship.
In another significant blow to the future of Alpine Combined, there will be no races in the historic discipline this upcoming season and the event’s future will further be discussed next spring.
Pertaining to future parallel races, time penalties will be the actual times as opposed to the current 0.50-second penalty.
The FIS Council also received Anti-Doping updates on both national and international level doping cases.
Swiss Bernhard Russi and Canadian Ken Read were granted honorary committee membership to the Alpine Executive Board for their long-term dedication to the sport. The Council also proposed that former Austrian Ski Federation president Peter Schroecksnadel be named an Honorary Member for his many years serving the FIS Council. The FIS Congress will vote on the proposal tomorrow.
It was also decided per new FIS Statutes that the FIS Congress will now be held every year, as opposed to the current once every two years. However, the odd numbered years will be conducted online, while even numbered years in person.
The 54th International Ski Congress will take place online next spring, while the FIS Council granted the hosting rights to the 55th Congress in 2024 to Reykjavik, Iceland.
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