Alta Badia/Italian Dolomites: Audi FIS Ski World Cup To Be Held On The Gran Risa Slope

The men’s races, which are valid for the Alpine Skiing World Cup and will be held in Alta Badia on Sunday 22nd and Monday 23rd December 2019, are becoming an increasingly must-see event. The best athletes on the entire Alpine Skiing circuit will be battling it out on the Gran Risa, one of the most technically-challenging and spectacular slopes out there, all accompanied by top quality food and drink, traditional Ladin dishes and adrenaline-filled moments, rubbing shoulders with ski champions.

NEW FOR 2019: QUALIFIERS FOR THE FINAL OF THE PARALLEL GIANT SLALOM
The main new feature of this year’s edition will be the qualification system for the night-time Parallel Giant Slalom, scheduled for Monday 23rd December. In order to take part in the Parallel Giant Slalom, athletes must get through the qualifiers. Skiers will compete in two heats, on a parallel course. The total time taken will decide the starting positions for the finals of the Parallel Giant Slalom for the 16 best athletes. The qualifiers will begin at 3pm, with the finals being held at 6.15pm, all on the “the last section of the Gran Risa slope. Alta Badia will once again confirm its status as a pioneer in this new ski discipline, which is now a stand-alone sport, awarding a special crystal cup for the men's races. This discipline will also be included in the Cortina 2021 world cup programme. As is the case for the Giant Slalom, the winners of the PGS will be awarded trophies, which are created specially for Alta Badia by the artist Daniele Basso, in collaboration with Swarovski.

HOSPITALITY AREAS: A WINNING COMBINATION OF SPORT AND TOP QUALITY CUISINE
Alta Badia is becoming increasingly well-known as a destination offering the best in mountain pleasures. This is reflected by the Alpine Skiing World Cup races that are held here, representing a unique opportunity to discover top-quality local products. In fact, the races represent the leading product of the Alta Badia ski experience. The event's three hospitality areas offer authentic moments of pleasure, each based on the ski area’s core values, i.e. high-quality cuisine, the majestic Dolomites, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and Ladin culture.

LEITNER Ropeways VIP Lounge: elegantly combining gourmet dishes and fine wines in newly designed surroundings

Get ready to experience more top-quality moments dedicated to gourmet cuisine at the LEITNER Ropeways VIP Lounge, situated on the rooftop of the building overlooking the Gran Risa slope. Here, you can follow the races and enjoy a few hours’ peace and quiet, tasting a great glass of wine paired with dishes created by excellent gourmet chefs. For the first time, LEITNER Ropeways VIP Lounge will be open to the public on its opening night, on Saturday 21st December, at 7.45pm. Tickets for the dinner, which also include entry to the Gran Risa Style, can be purchased on the website www.skiworldcup.it<http://www.skiworldcup.it> for € 120.00. On Sunday 22nd December, guests will be able to enjoy a four-course menu prepared by Gerhard Wieser** (Trenkerstube restaurant at Hotel Castel, Tirolo/Merano, 2 Michelin stars) and Martin Dalsass* (Talvo by Dalsass restaurant, St.Moritz, 1 Michelin star). On Monday evening, on the other hand, chef Maurizio Bidoli (Locanda di Noris restaurant, Peschiera del Garda) will be taking to the burners, together with the promising young talent from South Tyrol, Daniel Niederkofler (Fine Dining Restaurant Annona, Valle Aurina). Throughout the weekend, the LEITNER Ropeways VIP Lounge will be offering dishes made using both local products, provided by the South Tyrolean company Galloni, and the best fish from Viviani Pescheria, highlighting the contrast between “the sea and the mountains”, the theme for the evening event on Monday 23rd December. The desserts will be provided by the local patisserie “I Dolci di Ricky”. The waiting staff will be made up of young students from the Hotel School of Brunico, giving them the possibility to put their studies and training into practice.

This year, the lounge will have a brand-new look, with modern surroundings that are in step with the times, all thanks to a unique and exclusive design.

The Gran Risa Alpine Stube wine bar, inside the LEITNER Ropeways VIP Lounge, will only be serving the best wines from South Tyrol, in collaboration with South Tyrol’s very own wineries.

Guests in the LEITNER Ropeways VIP Lounge will also be able to relax and have fun in the Gran Risa Style lounge bar by Bonaventura Maschio, where aperitifs and cocktails will be served in elegant and sophisticated surroundings. As is the case for the entire LEITNER Ropeways VIP Lounge, this bar has been completely furnished by Wohnstudio Steurer and features Faustig chandeliers.

Tickets include access to the “La Crusc” grandstand, entry to the LEITNER Ropeways VIP Lounge, including the four-course menu, and entry to the Gran Risa Style bar. The price to watch the Giant Slalom on Sunday 22nd December is € 250.00, whereas it costs € 170.00 for the Parallel Giant Slalom on Monday 23rd December. The lounge will be opening its doors at 3pm for the occasion. For information and/or bookings: www.skiworldcup.it<http://www.skiworldcup.it>

Red Bull Energy Lounge: lifestyle, sport and adrenaline, rubbing shoulders with athletes
Alta Badia's pioneering spirit has come together with Red Bull's high ambitions to create the Red Bull Energy Lounge for the second time in Alta Badia: the only one of its kind on the entire World Cup circuit. This is a large area with a terrace, built directly by the finish line and in close contact with the
athletes themselves. From here, you can watch the race from the front row, getting a great view of the Giant Slalom and the Parallel Giant Slalom. Just as if you were in a box on the starting line of a Formula 1 or MotoGP race.

In a carefree atmosphere that’s full of adrenaline at the same time as offering glamorous surroundings, appealing to Red Bull's target audience, you’ll find a Flying Buffet, accompanied by wines from the D’Isera winery and Zardetto prosecco. Expect to find the high standards of service and hospitality that Red Bull has become famous for by supporting and producing the world’s best sporting and other events. The Red Bull Energy Lounge will also be the perfect location to watch the qualifiers for the night-time Parallel Giant Slalom, to be held on Monday 23rd December at 3pm. The majestic Dolomite mountains, a UNESCO world heritage site, form the backdrop to the finish line, making the atmosphere even more magical.

Tickets including access to the Red Bull Energy Lounge, with the buffet, cost €180.00 on Sunday 22nd December and €150.00 on Monday 23rd December. For information and/or bookings: www.skiworldcup.it<http://www.skiworldcup.it>

Les Viles by Blizzard-Tecnica: skiing in the heart of Ladin traditions and culture
The term les viles refers to the groups of buildings where the valley's first peasants used to live. These were isolated groups of houses and private barns, where people would have the chance to use certain basic services, such as the communal bread oven or fountain, which were shared between the various families who lived inside the same vila. Unlike the isolation of a single farm, the Ladin viles created a kind of community which reinforced a sense of solidarity and sociality between the various families. The viles were built away from rushing streams and strong winds, close to a source of water and on stable terrain. When building the houses, the maximum amount of sunlight during the winter was taken into consideration, together with the amount of rain, cold weather and snow.
The aim of the Les Viles by Blizzard-Tecnica, located in the World Cup finish area, is to promote Ladin culture by replicating the traditional architecture of the viles in its construction.
Ladin culture will also feature in the traditional local cuisine on offer.  In fact, a number of Ladin dishes, created by Hell isch guit, will be served at a buffet during both competitions. The waiting staff will be made up of students from the LEPIDO ROCCO “Giovanni XXIII” Hotel School in Caorle. In this way, youngsters from a seaside location will get the chance to experience the culinary culture of the mountains, which is very different from their own.

Les Viles by Blizzard-Tecnica is also the ideal place to spend time together in the hours after the race, tasting local products and enjoying themed parties.

Tickets including entry to the La Crusc Grandstand, to Les Viles by Blizzard-Tecnica and the buffet, cost €85.00 on Sunday 22nd December and €55.00 on Monday 23rd December. For information and/or bookings: www.skiworldcup.it<http://www.skiworldcup.it>.

NEW FOR 2019
SUNRISA: SKIING AT DAWN ON FRESH SNOW, BEFORE ENJOYING A HEARTY BREAKFAST AT 2,000M
Skiing on fresh snow, before anyone else, is a truly unique experience. The experience becomes even more magical if you do it in the heart of the Dolomites, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, on Alta Badia's slopes, where the best athletes will be going head to head at the Alpine Skiing World Cup during the same period, all topped off with an excellent breakfast at 2,000 m a.s.l. On Monday 23rd December, the ski slopes on the plateau between La Villa, Corvara and San Cassiano will be opening at 07.15am, giving ski enthusiasts the chance to see the sun rise at 2,000 m a.s.l. and ski down the slopes that have been perfectly prepared the night before by the many snowcats that work in the area. What’s more, there is the chance to enjoy a hearty breakfast, based on genuine and healthy products, at the Club Moritzino, Ütia I Tablá, Ütia de Bioch, Ütia Piz Arlara and Ütia Las Vegas mountain huts. Each hut will be paired with a specific breakfast item, such as milk, cereal, eggs or marmalade. The various dishes on offer have been created with the support of the nutritionist Dott. Iader Fabbri and they contain the essential ingredients for a perfect breakfast, guaranteeing the right number of calories and nutrition for each leg of the breakfast route from one lodge to another. A number of former ski world cup athletes will be accompanying skiers during this event.

THE RACES/THE PROGRAMME IN BRIEF
The weekend dedicated to the World Cup races officially kicks off on Saturday 21st December at 7pm, when the bibs of the fifteen best athletes will be picked. These athletes will be battling it out at the first stage of the Giant Slalom on Sunday 22nd December, at 10am. The second run on the Gran Risa slope will begin at 1pm, after the now traditional display by the “PAN Frecce Tricolori” (the Italian air force aerobatic team) at 12.30, which will fly over the finish area of Alta Badia’s Giant Slalom.

Events on Monday 23rd December will be getting underway early, at 07.15am thanks to SunRisa, when the cable cars will be opening earlier than normal, allowing skiers to enjoy a hearty breakfast at a number of Alta Badia’s mountain huts.  This event is open to all ski enthusiasts who want to try some of Italy's best products.

The qualifiers for the Parallel Giant Slalom will take place at 3pm, which are a new feature this year. At 6.15pm, under the starry sky above the Gran Risa, lit up specially for the occasion, the night-time Parallel Giant Slalom will take place. This is a knock-out competition in which the 16 best athletes will race in pairs in a showcase of speed and technique. Tickets can be purchased at www.skiworldcup.it<http://www.skiworldcup.it>.

SÜDTIROL SKI TROPHY: AWARDING THE FASTEST ATHLETE OF THE FOUR SOUTH TYROLEAN MEN’S SKI WORLD CUP RACES
At the end of the four competitions taking place in Val Gardena (downhill and SuperG) and in Alta Badia (Giant Slalom and Parallel Giant Slalom) from 20th to 23rd December 2019, a special award will go to the athlete with the highest FIS score over the four race days. To be eligible for the trophy, athletes must participate in at least one competition in Val Gardena and one in Alta Badia, where taking part in the Parallel Giant Slalom is compulsory. The winner will receive €20,000 and a special prize consisting of a life-size wooden bust of themselves. The bust will be exhibited in the Hall of Fame at the Saslong mountain hut in Val Gardena. The winner of the first edition was Kjetil Jansrud, while the last two editions were won by fellow Norwegian Aleksander Aamodt Kilde. In honour of the winner, a South Tyrolean Michelin-starred chef creates a gourmet dish each year, which is then served in different mountain huts in the two World Cup locations.

For further information:
Alpine Ski World Cup Alta Badia – www.skiworldcup.it<http://www.skiworldcup.it> – Tel.: +39 0471/830161 – Email: info@skiworldcup.it<mailto:info@skiworldcup.it>
Tourist Offices Alta Badia – www.altabadia.org<http://www.altabadia.org> – Tel.: +39 0471/836176-847037 – Email: info@altabadia.org<mailto:info@altabadia.org>