Milan (dpa) – No Alpine World Ski Championships in Germany: Garmisch-Partenkirchen again went away empty-handed when the winter highlights of 2027 were awarded.
The Upper Bavarian ski resort, in which, among other things, the demanding World Cup races on the Kandahar take place, had to admit defeat to the Swiss municipality of Crans-Montana in the decision of the international ski association Fis in Milan.
In total there were four applicants to host the World Ski Championships in five years: in addition to Garmisch-Partenkirchen and Crans-Montana, there were also Narvik in Norway and Soldeu in Andorra.
“It hurts me. Especially because we made an offer that no one else made,” said the disappointed mayor of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Elisabeth Koch, to BR: “Fis would have had the chance to break new ground .Didn’t they want to move away from gigantism towards something sustainable? We could have delivered it. But obviously they didn’t want to.” They have “the most sustainable concept,” emphasized the chairman of the Garmisch Ski Club, Florian Fischer. “That doesn’t seem to matter.”
Bavaria’s Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann (CSU) had also campaigned in advance for the Ski World Cup “dahoam” and described the possible prestigious event in Bavaria as an “absolute highlight”. Herrmann also emphasized the established infrastructure with a view to the existing Kandahar and Gudiberg slopes. “The sports facilities are there, so it’s a top application in terms of sustainability,” he explained in winter. It is important to try new things, said Fis President Johan Eliasch after the decision on Wednesday.
With the joint application of the market town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, the German Ski Association (DSV) and the Garmisch Ski Club, those responsible wanted to bring the winter highlight to the Werdenfelser Land for the third time after 1978 and 2011. When the 2025 World Cup was awarded, Garmisch – just like Crans-Montana – lost out to Saalbach-Hinterglemm in Austria. The next World Cup will take place in Courchevel/Meribel, France, in 2023.