Levi’s slalom race opens the entire women’s alpine skiing world cup this season, as the first three races of the season were cancelled.
In Levi, the women’s slalom world cup races are counted on Saturday and Sunday. These are the opening races of this season’s Women’s World Cup. SKISPORT FINLAND
A look at the website of the International Ski Federation Fis tells you that.
The opening race of women’s alpine skiing, the giant slalom in Sölden, was cancelled. The same happened to the Cervinia-Zermatt sprint race and the Lech double slalom. The reason for all cancellations was bad weather conditions.
Thus, next weekend’s Levi World Cup slalom races will open the women’s white circus season.
It guarantees Finland large TV viewing figures and a huge attention value in, for example, the densely populated countries of Central Europe, where alpine skiing is extremely popular.
– Of course, this situation raises the value of Levi’s race. The cancellation of games is always a bad thing for teams and athletes. But it is now a good thing for Levi, says the business director of Oy Levi Ski Resort Ltd Marko Mustonen.
– Here we can compete within the planned schedule. And in true winter, we have snow.
Frostbite
Slovakia’s Petra Vlhova, who won several times in Levi, rocked this model in the Levi Black ski last week. WE WILL DO IT
Mustonen is the former CEO of Ski Sport Finland, so he knows the alpine skiing world inside out.
– Freezing temperatures are expected for the rest of the week, even quite freezing at night. The much-awaited race is coming.
Two competitions of the women’s slalom world cup will be counted in Levi. The first will be raced on Saturday and the second on Sunday.
The men have been able to count only one race this season, the Sölden giant slalom in October.
20 million
Levi organized the first World Cup in 2004. The competition area, which has garnered international praise over the years, was not born for free. A lot has been invested in the slope, the gondola lift and the development of the area.
– About 20 million euros have been invested in the area of the Levi Black slope. The area is one part of Levi’s whole. Of course, not all investments have been made just for the World Cup, says the CEO of Levi Ski Resort Jouni Palosaari.
Stars in the fells
Mikaela Shiffrin (right), who won the World Cup overall competition last season, had time to stop and chat with GrIFK’s alpine skiers during the training break. WE WILL DO MOISIO
The world stars of alpine skiing have been training at Levi for weeks. The brightest star in the alpine skiing world, Mikaela Shiffrin of the United States, and Slovakia’s star count Petra Vlhova.
– At the beginning of November, we opened Levi Black, i.e. the race slope of the World Cup. The forecourt was already opened at the beginning of October. Both were opened so early thanks to snow preservation technology. The national teams have trained on these slopes, says Marko Mustonen.
– We have been able to train in snow-sure conditions. When there have been bad conditions all over Europe at the same time, of course the teams come to us.
Technical sports teams from Austria, the United States, Switzerland, Norway and Germany have trained at Levi.
– Levi has already been developing training conditions for the early season, as well as skiing conditions in general, for years, Mustonen reminds.