Men´s and Women´s World Cup in Vancouver (CAN) 2008

Ski2b Redaktion 24.01.2008 14:36 Uhr

At the end of February for the first time the alpine World Cup stars will test the pistes on which they will fight for Olympic medals in 2010.

The alpine race calendar for Vancouver
Thursday, February 21st, 2008:
Women´s Downhill

Friday, February 22nd, 2008:
Men´s Super G

Saturday, February 23rd, 2008:
Women´s Super-Combined

Sunday, February 24th, 2008:
Men´s Giant Slalom

Last World Cup races in 1998
For World Cup the alpine men visited Whistler lastly in 1995. There two speed races were held. In Super G nobody was able to defeat Peter Runggaldier. The Italian won ahead of A.J. Kitt (USA) and Christian Greber (AUT). Although in downhill it was an Italian who was in front. Kristian Ghedina caught the victory ahead of Lasse Kjus (NOR) and Patrick Ortlieb (AUT).

Focus on Olympia 2010
Traditionally the Olympic courses are tested before the highlight in World Cup. Also at the alpine skiers – because all alpine medals will allotted in Whistler where news pistes are built. These are put to the test at the end of February. But Whistler Mountain is a place with quite a few World Cup experience as 13 women´s and men´s races took place there between 1982 and 1995.

Improvements on the course
For the Olympic Games the men´s downhill races are planned to take place on the demanding "Dave Murray" piste, the women take the "Franz´s Run". But there are still some changes on the agenda before 2010. So the finish area will be enlarged significantly. It´s the organizers´ aim to make all the courses end in one and the same finish area. Moreover there shall be a bridge over the women´s and a tunnel beneath the men´s run.

Olympic thought in Vancouver has always been there
The ski resort in Whistler was opened at the beginning of the 1960s by Franz Wilhelmsen who hoped that it may once become host for the Olympic Games. But first in 2005 when the IOC accepted the tender for Vancouver this dream came true for the population. Now the people are working around the clock that the Games go off without a hitch.

The ski resort Whistler
The ski resort Whistler is 125 kilometers away from Vancouver and one of the most renowned ski resorts in North America. In 1976 already Whistler had applied for the Olympic Games but couldn´t get its application accepted. Whistler is famous for its reliable snow conditions and a popular winter sports village. Both mountains, Whistler Mountain (2.182 metres) and Blackcomb (2.440 metres) offer several downhills of different levels of difficulty. Whistler is a little village and most of all consist of some big hotels, restaurants and leisure residences. Altogether there are 24 ski lifts in the resort. In Blackcomb also in the summer time fans of skiing are able to enjoy their sports on the glacier.

Organisation
#200 505 8th Ave SW
Calgary AB T2P 1G2
CAN

Phone: 1 403 777 3200
Fax: 1 403 777 3213
Email:
Website: http://www.canski.org