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18 December 2022
The 2022 Alpine Ski World Cup returned to Sestriere last week for a weekend full of women’s technical disciplines, with a tight schedule full of events.
With the giant slalom taking place on Saturday 10 and the special slalom on Sunday 11 of this December 2022, the Vialattea tracks confirm their strong competitive calling, never lacking over the years.
The venue for the two 2022 Ski World Cup alpine skiing women’s races was the Olympic Kandahar Giovanni Alberto Agnelli slope in Sestriere, one of the historic slopes of Vialattea. This slope has hosted 39 World Cup races – including the first-ever night race in December 1994 – the 1997 World Ski Championships and the 2006 Turin Olympics. On the occasion of the Audi FIS Ski World Cup Sestriere, in addition to the grandstand, the hospitality tent for accreditations and the sponsor village open to the public, numerous initiatives have been organized: après-ski events, parties, tastings, laser shows and concerts, to continue having fun even after the race.
The two days of the Women’s Alpine Ski World Cup crowned a sensationally sunny weekend after the 40 cm of snow that fell the previous Friday. A record audience of over 23,000 spectators watched the races from the area set up at the finish line.
The Kandahar Agnelli track has proven to be the real protagonist of the event. Vialattea’s top track and one of the most beautiful in Piedmont, it was ready to meet each need of the two World Cup races, thanks to the synergy of the Organizing Committee and the International Ski Federation who ensured the best possible conditions for the races.
In particular, with a start at an altitude of 2250 meters, the slalom has become an even more technical and challenging course. The decision to use the men’s start for the first time rendered the initial stretch rather steep, making this women’s Alpine Ski World Cup race even more difficult and spectacular.
Rigid temperatures have also helped to maintain the work done by the track teams, ensuring the most optimal state of the slope, firm yet elastic, thus offering a unique show.
The President of the Organizing Committee of Sestriere, Gualtiero Brasso, expressed great satisfaction: “With the races approaching, the path becomes quite challenging, but we have successfully overcome each difficulty. We are content with the results. The Ski World Cup is a very important event for Sestriere and the whole Piedmont Region”. Finally, President Brasso said he was confident that Sestiere could continue to be a point of reference for international competitions in the future. The races were broadcast live on Rai Due, Eurosport and Discovery+.
The Ski World Cup in Sestriere coincided with the official opening of the 2022/2023 ski season, which attracted many new enthusiasts, families, and all of those who have always loved skiing in Sestriere.
“Crossing the finish line, feeling the audience explode with joy was incredible,” said Marta Bassino after the race, “It was really a feat, with a lovely, but also difficult track. Winning today, in my region, Piedmont, is truly a once-in-a-lifetime feeling.”
In the special slalom of Sunday, December 11, the first place went to the Swiss Wendy Holdener, who crossed the finish line in 1’56”29. Following her was the American Mikaela Shiffrin, after 47 cs, and the Slovak Petra Vlhova, with a time 70 cs longer than that of Holdener.
The two competitions saw the best athletes in the world on the track, including the debuting Lucrezia Lorenzi, who competitively grew in Sestriere.
After the 2022 Alpine Ski World Cup, Sestriere and the entire Vialattea ski area are ready to start with the new winter season, which in addition to the breath-taking panorama of the Alps, can count on a rich calendar of events and exhibitions. To experience the ski slopes in all the resorts of Vialattea, here are the offers and information on where (and when) to get your ski pass.
