ALPINE SKI WORLD CUP. Skiing tourists practicing their first turns of the season at the Rettenbach glacier may think that their eyes are still clouded from last night’s party in Sölden: “Was this the Olympic champion Benjamin Raich going up on the four seater chairlift?”, some of them might wonder. They can trust their eyes, because many of the stars of the AUDI FIS Ski World Cup are in Sölden already. We met the attractive German Olympic champion Maria Riesch relaxing at the glacier bar. Norwegian Aksel Lund Svindal, always up for some fun, is also on site already. While US star and Sölden fan Bode Miller was posing for fotos, Didier Cuche was chatting to snow groomer drivers and some members of the race committee.

At the moment the race slope at 3040 m, studded with hundreds of goal posts in all colours, looks like a colourful painting. Laypersons might wonder how the racers manage to find the right course. It all seems like a big family ski party on the highest level at the Rettenbach glacier. However, things will get serious when the athletes race to qualify for the World Cup opening. Nearly all national teams carry out internal qualifications before the race.

When the shadows get longer in the afternoon and the goal posts have been packed up and stowed away in the bottom station, experts of all nations put their heads together and talk shop, wondering who will be the dominating athlete of this season. In the meantime, snow groomers swarm out to prepare the piste for the next day.

All the racers, trainers, technical staff and functionaries agree that the season’s first race is very important. Only those left empty-handed without any points after the race might claim that the race could still be seen as part of the training. Rainer Gstrein, trainer for the Austrian Skiing Federation ÖSV and race director in Sölden, says: “Sölden is important, because if you are not racing up to standards you will wonder where you lost time for the next three to four weeks. Later in the winter successive races take place after a few days only, giving the racers the next chance more quickly.”

The World Cup races in Sölden are easily and comfortably accessible for the spectators. Via Europe’s highest panorama road up to the Rettenbach glacier, fans can reach the parking lot of the glacier stadium either by car or by bus. The bus fare is included in the ticket. Apart from the start and the third and fourth goalpost in the flat area of the glacier, the whole race slope can be seen from the finish. Due to this spectator-friendly organization thousands of fans travel to the race every year. The organizers expect 20,000 ski fans on both days together.

During the weekend, sport parties will be celebrated at the glacier and an Oktoberfest will take place in the village of Sölden. In addition, everybody who wants to go skiing can do so almost without restriction. Apart from the World Cup slope, which is only about 50 to 60 m broad, the entire 6 km² of the glacier are open for skiers. On top of that, if you go skiing during the race the entry to the World Cup spectacle is already included in the prize. You can watch the racers along the entire course and maybe even lift up with them.

Find more at www.skiweltcup.soelden.com

WORLDCUP PROGRAM 2011

FRIDAY, 21.10.2011
1.00 – 4.00 pm FIS Forum Alpinum Freizeit-Arena
6.30 pm Starting Number Drawing Woman
KRONE Weltcup Party Centre of Sölden

SATURDAY, 22.10.2011
10.00 am 1. Run GSL Woman Rettenbachglacier
01.00 pm 2. Run GSL Woman Rettenbachglacier
afterwards Flower and Pricegiving Ceremony Rettenbachglacier
afterwards Ö3-Party Rettenbachglacier
05.00 pm Parade of Fanclubs Centre of Sölden
06.30 pm Flower and Pricegiving Ceremony Woman Centre of Sölden
06.45. pm Startnummernverlosung Herren
KRONE Weltcup-Party Centre of Sölden
07.00 pm Weltcup Oktoberfest
Jetzendorfer Hinterhofmusikanten, DJ RM on Tour
Eintritt € 11,- pro Person Freizeit Arena

SUNDAY, 23.10.2011
10.00 am 1. Run GSL Men Rettenbachglacier
01.00 pm 2. Run GSL Men Rettenbachglacier
afterword Flower and Pricegiving Ceremony Rettenbachglacier
afterwords Ö3-Party Glacier Party, Awarding of the three best Fan Clubs on the occasion Rettenbachglacier

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