Alpine World Ski Championships in Cortina
An important contribution has been given by some top South Tyrolean companies, which have been busy providing cable cars, snow groomers, snow guns or building ski slopes.
The 2021 Alpine World Ski Championships are taking place these days in Cortina d’Ampezzo and will last till 21st February 2021. Several South Tyrolean companies are at the forefront, as technincal supplier or partners, including Technoalpin, Demaclenko, Prinoth, Leitner Ropeways, Mair Josef & Co. Sas and Forst.
Cortina in the spotlight
The 2021 Alpine World Ski Championships will draw over 600 athletes from 70 countries to Cortina. The town is hosting two weeks of men’s and women’s competitions and event. About 6,000 people among workers, volunteers, trainers, ski service staff and managers will also join the event.
Although the public is not allowed on this occasion due to the COVID-19 pandemic, millions of people from all over the world are watching the competitions with live TV coverage. In addition to that, many are following and interact with the event digitally.
Organizers therefore did not want to leave anything to chance, especially as regards the quality of the sky slopes and the infrastructure.
Companies from South Tyrol at the forefront
The ten-seat cable car „Col Druscié“ designed by Leitner ist used to transport the athletes to the sky slopes on which some of the technical competitions are being held. The cable car has been active since last winter. It replaces the first section of the historic „Freccia nel cielo“ cable car, which for fifty years has connected Cortina d’Ampezzo (1,224 meters) to “Cima Tofana”, one of the highest mountain in the Dolomites (3,244 m).
Prinoth has supplied twelve snow groomers. The company has long been a synonym for top quality snow groomers with 50 years of experience in the sector. Prinoth’s machines are highly innovative and all low emissions. During the Alpine World Ski Championships in Cortina it is also possible to admire the new “Leitwolf h2Motion”, the world’s first hydrogen-powered snow groomer.
Demaclencko has supplied for the Alpine World Ski Championships forty new snow guns, three pump stations, the Snowvisual 4.0 software and 91 concrete pits, including field lines.
The snow guns are placed in the “Pista A del Col Druscié”, on which the slalom discipline will be held, as well as the “Pista B del Col Druscié”, which functions as a training piste during the competitions, with highly efficient guns.
An important contribution to construction of the new ski slopes was provided by a South Tyrolean company: Mair Josef & Co. Sas from Prato dello Stelvio. In 2017, the Val Venosta-based construction company built the new men’s downhill slope „Vertigine“ and in 2020 the giant slalom run „Labirinti“.
„The works were carried out at an altitude between 1.690m. And 2.375m. above sea level, regarding an area 4.2 hectares. Overall, we moved about 62,000 m3 of earth „, explains the site engineer Klaus Patscheider. The works included also the building of the Ghedina Jump, which takes its name from the famous former downhill champion, Kristian Ghedina. In 2020 Mair Josef built the upper part of the steep giant slalom run „Labirinti“.