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Home , Alberto Tomba, Benjamin Raich, Bode Miller, Daron Rahlves, Deborah Compagnoni, Denise Karbon

Audi FIS Ski World Cup 18th/19th January 2020

1. - Two days of challenges featuring the skiing queens A rich programme of activities makes the event unique

2. From December 2016 to January 2020 A work path based on continuity, innovation, entertainment, eco-sustainability and synergy Five keywords that will accompany us to the next edition by Gualtiero Brasso, President of the Organizing Committee

3. The Kandahar Giovanni A. Agnelli race course

4. Roll of honour

5. Audi FIS Ski World Cup programme

6. More than 50 years of Alpine Ski World Cup - Sestriere moving in its own league! by Patrick Lang

1. SESTRIERE – TWO DAYS OF CHALLENGES FEATURING THE SKIING QUEENS A rich programme of activities makes the event unique

The Alpine Ski World Cup returns to Sestriere. Thanks to the support of the Piedmont regional office – as well as the crucial role played by FISI (Italian winter sports federation) in drafting the international stages – the Olympic slopes of Vialattea ski resort will newly take the spotlight. Following the success of the 2016 edition, the best female athletes in the world will compete on Saturday 18th and Sunday 19th of January, 2020, on the slope of great sports events, the legendary Kandahar Giovanni Alberto Agnelli. The first date will feature a race, while the second date will feature a parallel giant slalom, a new race format planned for certain stages of this year’s season, which will certainly stimulate great expectations and curiosity to see the athletes feature in a - to-head race. Along with the strictly competitive side, the city of Sestriere is preparing to greet the athletes with an action- packed schedule of side events, in order to attract the greatest number of mountain and winter sports lovers possible. The event will take place in a context of great celebrations all over town: from the finish area to the streets, from the squares to the café’s and restaurants, everyone will be able to share the joy and emotion of following the athletes throughout the race weekend. Sestriere last hosted the athletes of the White Circus – with a women’s giant slalom and a women’s slalom race – in December 2016. On that occasion, the athletes struck the hearts of the numerous fans who came to the Vialattea resort to attend the races: ’s was a runner-up in the giant slalom race, only beaten by Frenchwoman , while the undisputed queen of the slalom race was Team USA’s Shiffrin. Let us mention just few of the numbers behind the organization of an event the likes of the Ski World Cup. Preparation of the slope for slalom and giant slalom races of the Sestriere stage in 2016 may be summarized as follows: 155 hours of snow production, 30,000 m3 (over 1 mln ft3) of water used, 75,000 m3 (over 2.6 mln ft3) of snow produced, 450 hours of snow grooming, and 7 km (over 4.3 mi) of protection fences along the slope. Sestriere is certainly a traditional stop of the White Circus. In fact, it is one of the ski locations that has hosted the greatest number of Ski World Cup stages of all time. Ever since the first season of the World Cup, when Sestriere had the honour to host – as early as March 3rd, 1967 – one of the first stages. It was Jean-Claude Killy who won the men’s downhill race along the legendary Kandahar Banchetta slope, whilst in the women’s competition and tied for the number one spot. Sestriere, lest we forget, has hosted heroic competitions well before the birth of the Ski World Cup circuit, with international races held at the Arlberg- Kandahar slope in the early 50s. Throughout its long history in the competitive skiing world, Sestriere has hosted 63 World Cup races, not to mention the 1997 World Championships and the 2006 Winter Olympics. A 50-plus year history which has seen the greatest champions of worldwide skiing claim their crown. There are thus immense expectations for this year’s edition, which deserves a spot among the already rich and prestigious history of international events held in Sestriere.

In this case, a 750-plus seat bleacher will be set up in the finish area, along with a hospitality tent for registered guests and a sponsor village including numerous booths to entertain the fans before and after the races. The entire weekend will be a sequence of exhibitions, talks, music, and other forms of entertainment involving the entire town, in order to greet the athletes, fans, and tourists in the warmest and most joyful way possible. On Saturday afternoon Piazza Fraiteve – the main town square – will host the award ceremony for the first race, the giant slalom, as well as the presentation of athletes competing in the second race, the parallel slalom: a unique occasion to meet the wonder-women in person! The brand new Parallel. The Parallel Giant Slalom presents a whole new race format. The event begins with the qualifying heats on Sunday at 9.15 am. In this first phase of the competition all the athletes make two parallel descents, one on the blue course and the other on the red, so there and back. Qualification is based on the sum of the two times for the two courses. The best 32 athletes go through to the parallel giant slalom race scheduled for 11.45 am. We’re all really looking forward to the direct clash between the girls in the race. This is going to be top level racing with an opportunity to see the world’s finest athletes who make it through to the final stages challenge each other repeatedly on the slopes.

Press Office Ski World Cup Sestriere tel. +39 0122 799403 fax +39 0122 799460 [email protected] Info sul sito: www.vialattea.it

2. FROM DECEMBER 2016 TO JANUARY 2020 A work path based on continuity, innovation, entertainment, eco-sustainability and synergy Five keywords that will accompany us to the next edition by Gualtiero Brasso, President of the Organizing Committee

The 2016 edition of the Audi Fis Ski World Cup was a turning point for us in the organization of this prestigious event. Over 20.000 people have reached Colle Sestriere to attend the races, and the rich schedule of side events has involved the full range of visitors with its sequence of exhibitions, talks, music, and other forms of entertainment: a winning format which was not only appreciated by the fans, but by FIS too. The format will in fact be the basis of the new event scheduled on Saturday 18th and Sunday 19th of January, 2020. “CONTINUITY” - the starting point could be no other word, because we are strong of the enormous success of the past edition and are attempting to give the event an organizational continuity. We have experienced an event that has exceeded our most idealistic predictions, both in terms of race attendance and in terms of events organized for the general public, and we are proud of this. Our main aim is to give a continuation to this success through a format that will be based upon – for the most part – that of the positive 2016 event, with the necessary changes to the (fortunately) few things that haven’t worked or in any case haven’t produced the results we were expecting. “INNOVATION” - it seems contradictory to the first keyword, but its meaning is very precise. There is innovation indeed, and it is significant. In fact, one of the races planned this year will be the parallel slalom; a new entry in the women’s schedule, as we have only seen parallel slalom races thus far, and it will be the first time we see a parallel giant slalom race. There is a great deal of curiosity but we are clearly confident and optimistic on the fact it will be a great event, appreciated even by the audience that will see the best women skiers in the world descend the slope more than once. “ENTERTAINMENT” - we have confirmed the event format of the past edition, and planned a plethora of main events and side events as a complement to the morning races. This is what the general public wants, and this is what FIS wants. The schedule will be so abundant that it will allow the fans and tourists to move from one event to the other more than once throughout the day and in different parts of the town. The core will be the town square – where one of the award ceremonies will take place – and the pedestrian zones, where the sponsor booths will be set up for tourists to enjoy themselves to the fullest. A great show revolving around the Ski World Cup. “ECO-FRIENDLINESS” - we have begun a path that will lead the event – little by little – to full environmental sustainability. Of course, it was impossible to reach this immediately, but we are already putting in place and will continue to work on initiatives allowing us to make our little contribution to protecting the environment. From paper to nonwoven fabric, and even our gadgets, every material will be recycled, recyclable, and/or biodegradable. We are sourcing our suppliers locally as much as we can. We will host partners promoting organic and ecological products at their booths. Moreover, we thought of doing something more in terms of tangible actions: for every 20 registered guest, the Organizing Committee will plant a tree. If we consider the same number of guests as the past edition, we will plant about 1,000 trees in areas specifically identified by the Consorzio Forestale (public tree planting institution) that will support us in this project. We do not aim to exploit the media exposure of the latter initiative, but we have chosen this route because we truly believe in it. Of course, we know

we cannot change the world on our own, but we are confident that everyone needs to play his role through small everyday actions. “SYNERGY” organizing an event of this level is only possible thanks to our partners; every last one. I would thus like to thank: the Piedmont regional office for its support – from the President to the attachés, to the managers and operators that believe in this sport; the City of Sestriere, which is helping us in each and every way to organize this event; our friends from Turismo Torino e Provincia (official organization for the promotion of Turin and the district of Turin) who are always by our side; the FISI regional office and its President Pietro Blengini for the help they are providing in having all the young women and men from skiing clubs all over Piedmont attend the races. I would like to thank the local Ski Schools which are making their professional skills available, working directly along the course and I would like to thank Brigata Alpina Taurinense (light infantry brigade of the Italian Army) that has newly supported us with their professional machines and human resources. I would like to draw further attention to our main official sponsors: • Consorzio Qualitaly, which will bring high-class wine and food to the event and present it by means of cooking demos and tastings • Erboristeria Magentina, which will offer make-up and vegan products to all the female athletes • Our friends from Rossignol, who will build the “Rossignol Igloo” where a myriad of entertainment and meet- the-athlete activities • Prinoth • Radio GRP with its live music entertainment • Spyder • Caffè Vergnano I saved for last a special thank you to FISI and its President Flavio Roda, thanks to whom we are here today and introduce these races. It’s been a tortuous run-up, but we made it. We are grateful for his work, his perseverance, and his bond with our territory.

3. THE KANDAHAR GIOVANNI A. AGNELLI RACE COURSE

Sestriere has hosted 63 World Cup races, not to mention the 1997 World Championships and the 2006 Turin Winter Olympics. The Kandahar Giovanni A. Agnelli is one of the historic slopes of Sestriere. It has hosted 38 World Cup races (including the first night race in skiing history), the 1997 World Championships, and the . A staggering number of champions have grabbed wins here. Among these, we shall remember , , Benni Raich, and .

TECHNICAL DATA

GS PGS Start 2400 mt 2150 mt Finish 2040 mt 2040 mt Length 1292 mt 401 mt Vertical drop 360 mt 110 mt

4. ROLL OF HONOUR

Coppa del Mondo di Sci Alpino - Alpine Ski World Cup

03.03.1967 KILLY J.C. FRA DISCESA LIBERA MASCHILE - MEN'S DOWNHILL PISTA KANDAHAR BANCHETTA 03.03.1967 GOITSCHEL M./DEMETZ G. FRA/ITA DISCESA LIBERA FEMMINILE - WOMEN'S DOWNHILL PISTA KANDAHAR BANCHETTA 13.12.1970 DUVILLARD H. FRA DISCESA LIBERA MASCHILE - MEN'S DOWNHILL PISTA KANDAHAR BANCHETTA 17.12.1971 PROELL A.M. AUT DISCESA LIBERA FEMMINILE - WOMEN'S DOWNHILL PISTA KANDAHAR BANCHETTA 18.12.1971 MACCHI F. FRA SLALOM SPECIALE FEMMINILE - WOMEN'S SLALOM PISTA KANDAHAR SLALOM 19.12.1971 PALMER T. USA SLALOM SPECIALE MASCHILE - MEN'S SLALOM PISTA KANDAHAR SLALOM 14.12.1983 QUARIO M.R. ITA SLALOM SPECIALE FEMMINILE - WOMEN'S SLALOM PISTA KANDAHAR SLALOM 02.12.1984 GIRARDELLI M. LUX SLALOM SPECIALE MASCHILE - MEN'S SLALOM PISTA KANDAHAR SLALOM 10.12.1984 ZURBRIGGEN P. SUI SLALOM SPECIALE MASCHILE - MEN'S SLALOM PISTA KANDAHAR SLALOM 11.12.1984 GIRARDELLI M. LUX SLALOM GIGANTE MASCHILE - MEN'S GIANT SLALOM PISTA KANDAHAR BANCHETTA 01.12.1985 PETROVIC.R JUG SLALOM SPECIALE MASCHILE - MEN'S SLALOM PISTA KANDAHAR SLALOM 07.12.1985 KIEHL M. BRD SUPER G FEMMINILE - WOMEN'S SUPER G PISTA KANDAHAR BANCHETTA 08.12.1985 STEINER R. AUT SLALOM SPECIALE FEMMINILE - WOMEN'S SLALOM PISTA KANDAHAR SLALOM 29.11.1986 STENMARK I. SWE SLALOM SPECIALE MASCHILE - MEN'S SLALOM PISTA KANDAHAR SLALOM 30.11.1986 PRAMOTTON R. ITA SLALOM GIGANTE MASCHILE - MEN'S GIANT SLALOM PISTA SISES 3 26.11.1987 FERNANDEZ OCHOA B. SPA SLALOM SPECIALE FEMMINILE - WOMEN'S SLALOM PISTA KANDAHAR SLALOM 27.11.1987 TOMBA A. ITA SLALOM SPECIALE MASCHILE - MEN'S SLALOM PISTA KANDAHAR SLALOM 28.11.1987 WOLF S. AUT SUPER G FEMMINILE - WOMEN'S SUPER G PISTA KANDAHAR BANCHETTA 29.11.1987 TOMBA A. ITA SLALOM GIGANTE MASCHILE - MEN'S GIANT SLALOM PISTA KANDAHAR BANCHETTA 06.12.1988 GIRARDELLI M. LUX SLALOM SPECIALE MASCHILE - MEN'S SLALOM PISTA KANDAHAR SLALOM 12.12.1989 ZURBRIGGEN P. SUI SUPER G MASCHILE - MEN'S SUPER G PISTA KANDAHAR BANCHETTA 11.12.1990 TOMBA A. ITA SLALOM SPECIALE MASCHILE - MEN'S SLALOM PISTA KANDAHAR SLALOM 10.12.1991 TOMBA A. ITA SLALOM SPECIALE MASCHILE - MEN'S SLALOM PISTA KANDAHAR SLALOM 28.11.1992 AAMODT K. A. NOR SLALOM GIGANTE MASCHILE - MEN'S GIANT SLALOM PISTA KANDAHAR BANCHETTA 29.11.1992 TESCARI F. ITA SLALOM SPECIALE MASCHILE - MEN'S SLALOM PISTA KANDAHAR SLALOM 14.12.1993 TOMBA A. ITA SLALOM SPECIALE MASCHILE - MEN'S SLALOM PISTA KANDAHAR SLALOM 12.12.1994 TOMBA A. ITA SLALOM SPECIALE MASCHILE - MEN'S SLALOM PISTA KANDAHAR SLALOM 18.12.1994 SCHNEIDER V. SUI SLALOM SPECIALE FEMMINILE - WOMEN'S SLALOM PISTA KANDAHAR SLALOM 26.01.1996 NEF S. SUI SLALOM SPECIALE FEMMINILE - WOMEN'S SLALOM PISTA KANDAHAR SLALOM 27.01.1996 REITER M. AUT SLALOM SPECIALE MASCHILE - MEN'S SLALOM PISTA KANDAHAR SLALOM 15.12.1997 JAGGE F.C. NOR SLALOM SPECIALE MASCHILE - MEN'S SLALOM PISTA KANDAHAR SLALOM 14.12.1998 JAGGE.F.C. NOR SLALOM SPECIALE MASCHILE - MEN'S SLALOM PISTA KANDAHAR SLALOM 12.12.1999 KOSTELIC J. CRO SLALOM SPECIALE FEMMINILE - WOMEN'S SLALOM PISTA KANDAHAR SLALOM 10.03.2000 KOZNICK K. USA SLALOM SPECIALE FEMMINILE - WOMEN'S SLALOM PISTA KANDAHAR SLALOM 11.03.2000 NEF S. SUI SLALOM GIGANTE FEMMINILE - WOMEN'S GIANT SLALOM PISTA SISES 09.12.2000 DORFMEISTER M. AUT SLALOM GIGANTE FEMMINILE - WOMEN'S GIANT SLALOM PISTA SISES 10.12.2000 KOSTELIC J. CRO SLALOM SPECIALE FEMMINILE - WOMEN'S SLALOM PISTA KANDAHAR SLALOM 11.12.2000 BURAAS H. NOR SLALOM SPECIALE MASCHILE - MEN'S SLALOM PISTA KANDAHAR SLALOM 19.12.2000 NEF S. SUI SLALOM GIGANTE FEMMINILE - WOMEN'S GIANT SLALOM PISTA SISES 20.12.2000 KOSTELIC J. CRO SLALOM SPECIALE FEMMINILE - WOMEN'S SLALOM PISTA KANDAHAR SLALOM 09.12.2001 PAERSON A. SWE SLALOM SPECIALE FEMMINILE - WOMEN'S SLALOM PISTA KANDAHAR SLALOM 15.12.2002 PAERSON A. SWE SLALOM K.O. FEMMINILE - WOMEN'S SLALOM K.O. PISTA KANDAHAR SLALOM 16.12.2002 KOSTELIC I. CRO SLALOM K.O. MASCHILE - MEN'S SLALOM K.O. PISTA KANDAHAR SLALOM 13.12.2004 MILLER B. USA SLALOM SPECIALE MASCHILE - MEN'S SLALOM PISTA KANDAHAR SLALOM 25.02.2005 PAERSON A. SWE SUPER G FEMMINILE - WOMEN'S SUPER G PISTA FRAITEVE OLYMPIQUE 26.02.2005 PAERSON A. SWE DISCESA FEMMINILE - WOMEN'S DOWNHILL PISTA FRAITEVE OLYMPIQUE 27.02.2005 KOSTELIC J. CRO COMBINATA FEMMINILE - WOMEN'S COMBINED PISTA FRAITEVE OLYMPIQUE 26.01.2007 GOETSCHL R. AUT SUPER G FEMMINILE - WOMEN'S SUPER G PISTA FRAITEVE OLYMPIQUE 27.01.2007 GOETSCHL R. AUT DISCESA FEMMINILE - WOMEN'S DOWNHILL PISTA FRAITEVE OLYMPIQUE 28.01.2007 KILDOW L. USA SUPER G FEMMINILE - WOMEN'S SUPER G PISTA FRAITEVE OLYMPIQUE 09.02.2008 VONN L. USA DISCESA FEMMINILE - WOMEN'S DOWNHILL PISTA KANDAHAR BANCHETTA 10.02.2008 FISCHBACHER A./SUTER F. AUT/SUI SUPER G FEMMINILE - WOMEN'S SUPER G PISTA KANDAHAR BANCHETTA 21.02.2009 CUCHE D. SUI SLALOM GIGANTE MASCHILE - MEN'S GIANT SLALOM PISTA KANDAHAR BANCHETTA 22.02.2009 BAUMANN R. AUT SUPER COMBINATA MASCHILE - MEN'S SUPER COMBINED PISTA KANDAHAR BANCHETTA 10.12.2016 WORLEY T. FRA SLALOM GIGANTE FEMMINILE - WOMEN'S GIANT SLALOM PISTA KANDAHAR SLALOM 11.12.2016 SHIFFRIN M. USA SLALOM SPECIALE FEMMINILE - WOMEN'S SLALOM PISTA KANDAHAR SLALOM

Finali di Coppa del Mondo di Sci Alpino - Alpine Ski World Cup Finals

10.03.2004 RAHLVES D. USA DISCESA LIBERA MASCHILE - MEN'S DOWNHILL PISTA KANDAHAR BANCHETTA 10.03.2004 GOETSCHL R. AUT DISCESA LIBERA FEMMINILE - WOMEN'S DOWNHILL PISTA KANDAHAR BANCHETTA 11.03.2004 MAIER H. AUT SUPER G MASCHILE - MEN'S SUPER G PISTA KANDAHAR BANCHETTA 11.03.2004 STYGER N. SUI SUPER G FEMMINILE - WOMEN'S SUPER G PISTA KANDAHAR BANCHETTA 13.03.2004 SCHILD M. AUT SLALOM SPECIALE FEMMINILE - WOMEN'S SLALOM PISTA KANDAHAR SLALOM 14.03.2004 PALANDER K. FIN SLALOM SPECIALE MASCHILE - MEN'S SLALOM PISTA KANDAHAR SLALOM 14.03.2004 PAERSON A. SWE SLALOM GIGANTE FEMMINILE - WOMEN'S GIANT SLALOM PISTA SISES

Campionati Mondiali di Sci Alpino - Alpine Ski World Championships

03.02.1997 SKAARDAL A. NOR SUPER G MASCHILE - MEN'S SUPER G PISTA KANDAHAR BANCHETTA 05.02.1997 COMPAGNONI D. ITA SLALOM SPECIALE FEMMINILE - WOMEN'S SLALOM PISTA KANDAHAR SLALOM 06.02.1997 AAMODT A. NOR COMBINATA MASCHILE - MEN'S COMBINED PISTA KANDAHAR BANCHETTA 08.02.1997 KERNEN B. SUI DISCESA LIBERA MASCHILE - MEN'S DOWNHILL PISTA KANDAHAR BANCHETTA 09.02.1997 COMPAGNONI D. ITA SLALOM GIGANTE FEMMINILE - WOMEN'S GIANT SLALOM PISTA SISES 2 11.02.1997 KOSTNER I. ITA SUPER G FEMMINILE - WOMEN'S SUPER G PISTA KANDAHAR BANCHETTA 12.02.1997 VON GRUENIGEN M. SUI SLALOM GIGANTE MASCHILE - MEN'S GIANT SLALOM PISTA SISES 2 15.02.1997 LINDH H. USA DISCESA LIBERA FEMMINILE - WOMEN'S DOWNHILL PISTA KANDAHAR BANCHETTA 15.02.1997 GOETSCHL R. AUT COMBINATA FEMMINILE - WOMEN'S COMBINED PISTA KANDAHAR BANCHETTA 15.02.1997 STIANSEN T. NOR SLALOM SPECIALE MASCHILE - MEN'S SLALOM PISTA KANDAHAR SLALOM

XX Giochi Olimpici Invernali - XX Winter

12.02.2006 DENERIAZ A. FRA DISCESA LIBERA MASCHILE - MEN'S DOWNHILL PISTA KANDAHAR BANCHETTA 14.02.2006 LIGETY T. USA COMBINATA MASCHILE - MEN'S COMBINED PISTA KANDAHAR SLALOM 15.02.2006 DORFMEISTER M. AUT DISCESA LIBERA FEMMINILE - WOMEN'S DOWNHILL PISTA FRAITEVE OLYMPIQUE 18.02.2006 AAMODT K.A. NOR SUPER G MASCHILE - MEN'S SUPER G PISTA KANDAHAR BANCHETTA 18.02.2006 KOSTELIC J. CRO COMBINATA FEMMINILE - WOMEN'S COMBINED PISTA FRAITEVE OLYMPIQUE 20.02.2006 RAICH B. AUT SLALOM GIGANTE MASCHILE - MEN'S GIANT SLALOM PISTA SISES 20.02.2006 DORFMEISTER M. AUT SUPER G FEMMINILE - WOMEN'S SUPER G PISTA FRAITEVE OLYMPIQUE 22.02.2006 PAERSON A. SWE SLALOM SPECIALE FEMMINILE - WOMEN'S SLALOM PISTA KANDAHAR SLALOM 24.02.2006 MANCUSO J. USA SLALOM GIGANTE FEMMINILE - WOMEN'S GIANT SLALOM PISTA SISES 25.02.2006 RAICH B. AUT SLALOM SPECIALE MASCHILE - MEN'S SLALOM PISTA KANDAHAR SLALOM

* La pista Kandahar Slalom nel 1998 è stata intitolata a G. A. Agnelli * La pista Kandahar Banchetta nel 1996 è stata intitolata a G. Nasi * The Kandahar Slalom course in 1998 was named after G. A. Agnelli * The Kandahar Banchetta course in 1996 was named after G. Nasi

5. AUDI FIS SKI WORLD CUP RACE PROGRAMME

THURSDAY JANUARY 16th 08:00 am Accreditation opening Teams’ arrival

FRIDAY JANUARY 17th 11:00 am GS free skiing 06:00 pm 1st Team Captains’ meeting 07:30 pm Ski World Cup Opening Party at Casa Eccellenze - Qualitaly in Via Louset 11:30 pmTabata disco party

SATURDAY JANUARY 18th 09:00 am Opening of the Snow Village and hospitality tent in the finish area 09:00 am Opening of the Rossignol Igloo - Gaming & Entertainment in Piazza Agnelli 11:00 am Giant Slalom - 1st run 12:00 am Entertainment at the Snow Village by Radio GRP 02:05 pm Giant Slalom - 2nd run, followed by flowers ceremony in the finish area and press conference 03:30 pm Après-ski Fanclub at Gargote Fashion Cafè 04:00 pm Entertainment by Radio GRP in Piazza Fraiteve with live music 04:15 pm Conference “Alpine ski and safety: analysis and insights” at Casa Olimpia 04:30 pm “Coffee Experience” at Chalet Vergnano in Via Louset 04:30 pm Entertainment at the Oberalp stand in Via Louset 05:00 pm 2nd Teams’ Captains meeting 05:00 pm “Truffle Experience” at Casa Eccellenze - Qualitaly in Via Louset 05:00 pm Vin brûlé made by the Alpini in Piazza Fraiteve and chocolate tasting at the Chocomoments stands 05:30 pm Oysters&Champagne at L’Officina Bar in Piazza Fraiteve 06:00 pm Official GS (Top 6) public award ceremony in Piazza Fraiteve 06:15 pm Presentation of the PGS (Top 16) athletes in Piazza Fraiteve followed by Laser Show 07:15 pm Ski instructor torchlight show on the Sises 2 slope 07:30 pm Video Mapping show on the Sises 2 slope 08:30 pm “Dinner Music Show” at Kovo Pub 11:30 pm World Cup Night at Tabata Disco

SUNDAY JANUARY 19th 08:00 am Opening of the Snow Village and hospitality tent in the finish area 09:15 am PGS Qualifications 10:30 am Entertainment in Snow Village Area by Radio GRP 11:45 am PGS Race, followed by official award ceremony in the finish area and press conference 01:00 pm Après-ski World Cup closing event at Gargote Fashion Café 02:00 pm Après-ski & tasting - World Cup closing event at Casa Eccellenze Qualitaly in Via Louset

*Programme subject to change

6. MORE THAN 50 YEARS OF ALPINE SKI WORLD CUP SESTRIERE MOVING IN ITS OWN LEAGUE! by Patrick Lang

Hundreds of ski areas around the globe hosted at least once a World Cup event since the very first competition at Berchtesgaden on Jan.5th - 1967 – but only five from the fifteen places from that maiden World Cup season are still ‘active’ nowadays, in the alphabetical order (), Kitzbühel () (Trento), Sestriere (Piedmont) and (Switzerland). On March 3rd - 1967, the already famous site of Sestriere created nearly forty years earlier by FIAT’s founder Giovanni Agnelli, organized the first ever World Cup downhill races on Italian soil – it was also the start of an amazing international success story in winter sports for that unique resort in Piedmont! In the following decades, Sestriere became a booming touristic resort as well as the host of a unique series of major international snow events – starting with the legendary Arlberg-Kandahar races organized since 1952 and ending with the 2006 Winter Olympics. In the meantime, Sestriere also put together numerous competitions counting for the World Series in the mid 1980’s, the World Cup, the FIS World Championships in 1997 as well as the 2004 World Cup ‘Grand Finals’ – truly a record in its kind that no other resort in the rest of the snow world can match.

Great winners The list of athletes having excelled on the ‘Classic’ Kandahar-Banchetta or the G.A. Agnelli runs since 1967 truly is impressive as it includes nearly all the names of top champions of modern ski racing history. It started with the impressive victory of Jean Claude Killy with an advance of nearly two seconds on his teammate Bernard Orcel after a reckless run down the treacherous downhill course – he took more risks than planned that 3rd of March 1967 to win his fourth consecutive downhill that winter as he thought he was late at the intermediate time after watching his personal adviser and friend Michel Arpin making strange moves on the side of the course as he was passing him! On the women’s side, his teammate Marielle Goitschel shared first place with Giustina Demetz who remained for many years the only Italian woman to have excelled in that specialty – until ’s first win in January 1994 in the tragic downhill of Garmisch-Partenkirchen marked by the death of Austria’s beloved ! In December 1971, Austria’s skiing legend Annemarie Moser-Proell also prevailed on the ‘Kandahar Banchetta’ more than thirty years before her successors as ‘speed-queens’ – Renate Goetschl in 2004 and USA’s in 2008. Some moments remain particularly significant and memorable – starting with Pirmin Zurbriggens’s first ever slalom win back in December 1984 ahead of local hero Paolo de Chiesa – allowing him later on to become the first ever allrounder able to celebrate World Cup wins in all five disciplines of modern ski racing, a feat also achieved afterwards by , Gunter Mader, Kjetil Andre Aamodt or Bode Miller.

In fact USA’s Bode Miller achieved quite a stunning performance in Sestriere back in December 2004 winning there his very last World Cup slalom to enjoy a total of six wins in all four alpine specialties within two months after also winning two giant slalom races at Soelden and Val d’Isère, two downhills at Lake Louise and Beaver Creek, and a Super-G in before excelling in the Italian resort! The champion from New Hampshire crowned that amazing 2004/05 season with two more FIS gold medals at and his first of two overall World Cup globes – reaching a total of 14 World Cup podiums during that winter.

The great era of Alberto Tomba There were already so many emotional and exciting moments too in the 1980s and 1990s in the great days of Alberto Tomba, who won six races from 1987 to 1994 on the challenging technical slopes overlooking the ‘Colle’ including his very first one back on November 27th (sic!) when Sestriere’s dynamic OC managed to run a very early start of the World Cup season a few days after having hosted the FIS ‘World Series of Nations’ – an interesting team competition that was unfortunately discontinued in the following years! Wearing bib 25 that day Alberto surprised himself and the rest of the field clearly beating the former slalom World Champion and Austria’s Günter Mader… But two days later he did even better as he managed to upset another (more) famous Swede in giant slalom – three time overall World Cup champion Ingemar Sternmark, also a former winner in slalom at Sestriere! It was a very symbolic podium in fact – the first and only time that both superstars who respected each other a lot skied together among the top-3! Alberto, immediately nicknamed ‘La Bomba’ the day of his first triumph by World Cup founder in his newspaper stories, went on to win four more slalom races at Sestriere, including one of the first ever organized under floodlight in December 1994, less than three years before the FIS World Championships hold there. A huge crowd of fans including his famous “Tomba Club Castel dei Britti” run by his great friend Loris Righi attended once more the slalom at Sestriere on February 1997 when Alberto came back from behind to secure the bronze medal in slalom after a very poor first leg.

A good place for the top experts The Sestriere event has also often mostly been a special occasion for the Kostelic family with Janica enjoying three slalom wins there while her older brother Ivica scored his first ever World Cup points there in December 2000 finishing 21st . Two years later he dominated the rest of the field in a special slalom format – the ‘KO Slalom’ on his way to clinch gold in that specialty a few months later at St. Moritz! The list of winners in the numerous women’s races included many other top-athletes including leading gate- specialists from to Anja Paerson, , , or Mikaela Dorfmeister, all past World Cup champions in a specialty or in the overall standings. Marlies Schild had to be very patient in the early part of her career marked by numerous crashes and injuries until finding her best rhythm in the technical events to finally celebrate her maiden World Cup triumph in Sestriere on the last weekend of racing in March 2004!

In that time dominated by the tense rivalry between Janica Kostelic and Anja Paerson who shared all gold medals at the 2005 FIS Ski Worlds at Bormio/ Santa Caterina, it was not easy for other favorites to access to top of the podium! In the following years, Schild turned herself into an amazing ‘Slalom Princess’ to establish a new record of 35 slalom wins on the World Cup tour before retiring two years ago and marring her long-time friend . The day after Marlies’ win in slalom, Anja Paerson captured the giant slalom race ahead of Italy’s skiing darling to secure her first win in the overall World Cup standings in front of Austria’s ‘Speed Queen’ Renate Goetschl, the overall champion back in March 2000 at Bormio. Yet those thrilling 2004 Finals were marked by the great fight for the men’s crown between four of the most charismatic champions on the men’s tour that year – Bode Miller, Benjamin Raich, Stefan Eberharter and !

Herman’s greatest win? Maier was in the lead in the overall standings earlier in the week, yet that group was only separated by a few points before the first speed race on the Banchetta downhill run and each of them could hope for the overall victory. With his 2nd place just behind ’s in the opening downhill race, Eberharter got very close to Maier who didn’t score a single point at he only came in 18th - ahead of Miller a distant 22nd. At that point Stefan seemed to have a good shot at an eventual third consecutive overall title as Herman seemed to have a tough time dealing with the very aggressive snow that was covering the slopes of Sestriere. Maier’s main serviceman found out the cause of the technical problem and after that disappointing race, one of his colleagues had to return to the Atomic factory located far away, south of , to change the tuning of his Super-G racing skis on a special tuning machine used to perfectly prepare the base of the skis located there. The driver returned at Sestriere during the night in time for the serviceman to prepare Hermann’s skis hours before the crucial Super-G race that would in fact decide on the issue of the overall standings. After another of his crazy runs, Maier managed to beat Eberharter by nearly a second to reinforce his lead in the intermediate standings up to 42 points while Benni Raich kept his chances alive with two technical races left taking an unexpected 4th place that day! If Eberharter would have won that dramatic competition, he would have leaded the overall standings by the important margin of 38 points. Miller on his side lost a strong chance to interfere in their battle sustaining another crash in that Super-G! The chances of Benni Raich to beat all of them vanished over the weekend as the giant slalom race had to be cancelled because of strong gusts of wind and snow – at that point his delay on Maier was too important… “I feel sorry for Benni as he would have fully deserved to clinch the big globe, he would have been a great overall champion it,” commented the Austrian veteran afterwards. “He is still young and his best days are still to come.”

Sestriere at the top In fact, the following year, Raich captured the overall title after winning the combined and the slalom titles at Bormio 2005 – before winning two more Olympic gold medals in slalom and giant slalom at Sestriere in 2006.

Maier could not hide his huge emotion after being assured to have secured his fourth big globe. “This may well be one of my greatest achievements, may be even bigger than one of my Olympic wins at in 1998,” he told the press at a press conference. Interestingly enough, in both cases, the ‘Herminator’ celebrated two amazing comebacks! In Japan he suffered that spectacular and horrendous crash in the Olympic downhill that shocked millions of TV spectators before beating the rest of the field first in Super-G then in giant slalom. Three years earlier he got nearly killed in September 2001 in a motorcycle accident nearby home when he was hit by a German car on his way back from training. He was lucky not to lose his badly injured leg afterwards during the difficult surgery and he needed over a year to be able to stand again on his skis. In January 2003,Hermann celebrated an incredible win at Kitzbühel in Super-G a few days after returning on the tour before clinching silver in that specialty at the 2003 FIS World Championships at St. Moritz! Yet the nearly formidable champion from Flachau kept on winning – another gold medal in giant slalom at Bormio 2005 and two more Olympic medal afterwards at Sestriere – 2nd in Super-G behind Kjetil Andre Aamodt – whose first World Cup win also occurred at Sestriere back in November 1993 - and then 3rd in giant slalom… The two medal events in 1997 and 2006 and the Finals in 2004 strongly boosted the international position of Sestriere which created a league of its own as no other one on the international circuit!