Milka is starting its 17th season as sponsor of winter sports, and the presentation of the international Women’s Ski Team today was a very special one. To raise awareness for the Alpine region and the need of its protection, a new floral design will adorn the helmets of the five Milka Ski-Girls this year. The sportswomen will wear these special helmets during the World Ski Championships in Garmisch Partenkirchen, where Milka will be the main sponsor. A highlight at the press conference marking the start to the new season was the awarding of the AIJS “2010 Skieur d’Or – Serge Lang Trophy” to Carlo Janka.

The young All-rounder received the Milka-sponsored award today from AIJS President Robert Seeger and Vice-President Patrick Lang. When the Milka team is presented at the start of the new season every year, the “Skieur d’Or – Serge Lang Trophy” is awarded by the AIJS to a sportsman or sportswoman with the best achievements in the previous season. It is an additional award for the young Swiss athlete Carlo Janka from Obersaxen, canton Graubünden, after his outstanding performances in the previous winter. He could assure himself the position as one of the world’s best racers with Olympic Gold in Giant Slalom in Vancouver and by winning the Overall World Cup 2009/2010. As the current world champion in Giant Slalom he is the first athlete from Switzerland since Pirmin Zurbriggen (1990) who wins this award from the AIJS.

The Milka Ski-Girls as Alpine Beauties

This is the fourth year in succession that the five Milka Ski-Girls have been part of Milka’s support for winter sports. The accomplished international team, comprising Michaela Kirchgasser (AT), Maria Riesch (DE), Ingrid Jacquemod (FR), Tina Maze (Sl) and Sarka Zahrobska (CZ), has given itself a new goal for this World Cup and World Ski Championships season – the five stars of the ski circuit aim to focus attention on the importance of protecting the Alpine flora of their home countries and appeal for wise stewardship of nature and species diversity in the Alpine regions.

Germany's Maria Riesch attends a news conference in Soelden October 21, 2010. The Alpine Ski World Cup season opens with a women's and a men's Giant Slalom on the Rettenbach glacier in the Tyrolean ski resort of Soelden this weekend. REUTERS/Leonhard Foeger (AUSTRIA)

Each skier has chosen an Alpine flower that is special to her. Michaela Kirchgasser, for example, will be championing the Alpine Aster in the coming season. Hailing from Salzburg, Michaela is fit and ready for the season and hopes to maintain her fantastic performance in training during all the races.

Maria Riesch, winner of two Olympic gold’s, will be campaigning for the Clusius Primrose, which is classified in Germany as an endangered species. All eyes will be on her in February in Garmisch Partenkirchen, which is her home town and the venue for the 2011 World Ski Championships. Based on her successes over the past year, there is nothing to prevent her from having an excellent World Ski Championships season. The World Cup races will be particularly exciting, too, however – especially since Maria will be defending her slalom title.

Ingrid Jacquemod has chosen Aquilegia Alpine, which is mostly found in France and Switzerland. Last year, Ingrid had the best season of her career so far and now hopes to repeat this success in the months ahead. She comes from France and has a great deal of World Ski Championships experience – her first appearance was at the 2001 World Ski Championships in St. Anton and so far she has taken part in a total of five World Ski Championships.

Tina Maze will be acting as ambassador for the White Dryad (Mountain Aven), a species which is widespread in the Alps. Having won two Olympic medals last season, she also has very high ambitions for this year’s World Ski Championships season. Tina, who is now training for the third season with her own “Team to AMaze”, independently of the Slovenian Skiing Federation, came fourth in the overall World Cup last year.

Sarka Zahrobska will be racing as an “Alpine Beauty” on behalf of the “Alpine Beauty”, Clusius’ Gentian, the archetypal Alpine flower. At the World Ski Championships in Val d’Isère, Sarka won the silver medal in slalom. In the current season, she would like to build on her successes to date and reach the podium a few times again. A World Ski Championships medal is another great wish, of course.

Milka is focusing attention on the Alpine region in other ways, too, besides with the dedication and commitment of its skiing idols. Its partnership with the “National park Hohe Tauern”, the biggest national park in the Alps, will be intensified next year, with additional support being given to the restoration of an educational flower path for learning about the Alpine flora. “Asters”, a French organisation dedicated to saving endangered plant species, is also receiving support from Milka. In the Czech Republic, support is being given to the “KRNAP” national part in the Sudeten Mountains, and in Slovenia to the Juliana Alpine Botanical Garden.

Visual material and further information about Milka ski sponsoring is available for download from http://www.kraftfoods-presse.at (under Milka, Sponsoring & Events, Ski Sponsoring) and on www.milkaskigirls.com

FISalpine.com
Friday 22 October 2010

Carlo Janka awarded Skieur d’Or 2010

The Swiss ski star Carlo Janka, 24, was honored by the members of AIJS (International Association of Ski Journalists) with the Skieur d'Or award in Sölden last Thursday night. The vote by the AIJS members took place before the start of the new season and Carlo Janka collected a half of the votes cast.

Janka, who became giant slalom world champion in Val d'Isere in 2009 and Olympic champion in Vancouver last February, won the men's overall Audi FIS Ski World Cup 2009/2010 ranking. He became the 34th winner of the award presented by the professional journalists. The award recognizes both his performance and his special character. Janka's unique personality has earned him the nickname "Iceman."

Janka is the first Swiss skier since Pirmin Zurbriggen in 1990 to receive this award which has been presented since 1963. In 2009, Lindsey Vonn (USA) received the honor. Vonn also received several votes this year as did Aksel Lund Svindal (NOR), Bode Miller (USA) and Didier Cuche (SUI).

FISalpine.com
Monday 25 October 2010