This March, the famous Swiss ski resort of St. Moritz will host the final athletic ski event of the season, and also the highlight, the Audi FIS Ski World Cup Finals for both men and women. Baroque Access has all the details
From 16 to 20 March, the world’s best Alpine ski athletes will complete in the World Cup Finals, a test event and rehearsal for the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships that will take place in February 2017.
The World Cup Finals is an exciting experience, five event-filled days offering thrilling competitions and a varied program of events. The highlight is the legendary start of the Men’s Free Fall race, where the athletes start on a very steep slope and accelerate up to 140km per hour within six seconds.
For the 2016 Championships, there will be a new season finale for the women’s race, a downhill start where the female skiers will also reach maximum speeds within seconds.
What makes St. Moritz such a stunning location for these races is that spectators can follow the athletes’ progress from start to finish. Those who are standing at the finish line can watch the first half of the race on large screens, and then watch the last half of the race live.
The location of the World Cup Final is also the destination for the World Championship that will take place the following year, so St Moritz is gearing up for another spectacular event come 2017. The Finals will also enable the organizers of next year’s event to test the design of the ski runs, as well as work out whether the infrastructure will work the following year.
St Moritz has been the location for two Winter Olympics (1928 and 1948) and 2017 will be yet another time that this popular ski resort will host a premier Alpine event. St Moritz is one of the most famous luxury ski resorts in the world. Located around 1 850 meters above sea level in the Upper Engadin Lake District it is famous for its superb climate, where the sun literally shines 322 days per year. Because of its idyllic location close to Germany and Italy, this stunning Swiss resort boasts a cultural mix that is quite unique as well as a charming blend of culture, sport, activities and tranquility, making it an ideal holiday destination all year round.
Below is the full schedule for the Championship Finals to give you an idea of all the events:
Monday, March 14
11.00 am Downhill Training Ladies
Tuesday, March 15
10.00 am Training Downhill Men
11.30 am Training Downhill Ladies, followed by Longines Future Ski Champion Race
Wednesday, March 16
10-11.30am: Downhill Women & Men
Thursday, March 17
10-11.30am: Super G Women & Men
Friday, March 18
12pm: Team event
Saturday, March 19
8.30-9.30am: Women Slalom & Men Giant Slalom
Sunday, March 20
8.30-9.30am: Women Giant Slalom and Men Slalom
Note: The prize-giving ceremonies will take place directly after the races in the finish area.