Controversial Zermatt/Cervinia Race Not Included On The 2024-25 Alpine Calendar

After a thorough consultation with the athletes, their teams and other stakeholders involved in the event, it has been agreed by FIS, Swiss-Ski and the Federazione Italiana Sport Invernali (FISI) not to include Zermatt/Cervinia in the Alpine draft calendar 2024/25.

The first cross-border Alpine World Cup races were part of the men’s and women’s calendars in the 2022/23 and 2023/24 seasons but could not make history due to unfavourable weather conditions in both years.

The unique course, which traverses the border between Switzerland and Italy beneath the iconic Matterhorn peak, has yet to host a single live race. Inaugural races planned for November 2022 were called off due to lack of snow, and this season's races were plagued by strong winds.

However, environmental groups point to a deeper issue. "Protect Our Winters" criticized race organizers for potentially exacerbating glacial retreat by disturbing the snowpack. Organizers maintain their practices are sustainable, but the controversy underscores the difficulty of balancing prestigious sporting events with environmental concerns.

FIS would all like to thank the athletes for their valuable feedback and all stakeholders for the productive discussions.