Double presentation yesterday in Rome of the 2013 FIS Nordic Ski World Championships
Several Italian and international guests met up at CONI and Czech Embassy
Val di Fiemme to host the world event next February and March
Over 50 nations registered and new races scheduled during the 12-day long event
Italy’s capital city hosted yesterday two important press conferences of presentation of the next FIS Nordic Ski World Championships, taking place in Val di Fiemme from 20 February to 3 March 2013. The alpine valley in the North-eastern side of the country (Trentino region) is about to house the world event for the third time in its history, after the successful 1991 and 2003 editions, and as Nordic Ski Fiemme 2013 OC President Pietro De Godenz claimed, “everything is set and ready for this amazing event and Val di Fiemme is proud to be the house of the World Champs for the third time in just 22 years. We only miss the snow in this moment.”
The first presentation conference took place inside the CONI (Italian National Olympic Committee) building and among the guests were CONI President Gianni Petrucci and Secretary General Raffaele Pagnozzi, IOC member, former cross country skiing champion and Fiemme 2013 Honorary President Manuela Di Centa, President of the Austrian Ski Association Peter Schröcksnadel, Trentino Region Councillor and Fiemme 2013 President Tiziano Mellarini, President of the Italian Winter Sports Federation Flavio Roda and former alpine skiing champions Alberto Tomba and Giorgio Rocca.
“Val di Fiemme will surely organize a fantastic sport event as the 1991 and 2003 ones were”, said Petrucci.
During yesterday’s press conference, the 3-Tre ski World Cup event, to be held in Madonna di Campiglio next 18 December, was also presented along with 2013 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships taking place in Schladming – Austria from 4 to 17 February.
After the first meeting, the Nordic Ski Fiemme OC moved to the Embassy of Czech Republic in Rome and a few ambassadors of different nations taking part in the Italian World Championships sat at the table of the second presentation moment, such as H.E. Mr Petr Buriánek (Czech Republic), H.E. Mr Wojciech Ponikiewski (Poland), H.E. Ms Mária Krasnohorská (Slovakia) and H.E. Mr Iztok Mirosic (Slovenia).
Buriánek pointed out the close relationships always existed between Trentino region and Bohemia, from a cultural, historical and sport point of view.
Val di Fiemme moved its first steps in the world of XC skiing in the second half of the 20th century and people like Franco Nones, who won an outstanding gold medal at the 1968 Winter Olympic Games, contributed to a marked increase and development of a what might be called Nordic consciousness on the South side of the Alps.
Year 1988 was another milestone for Italy and Val di Fiemme in particular, as the FIS congress in Istanbul declared that Val di Fiemme would be the hosting resort for the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships three years later. Since then, the Italian valley has been organizing over 120 World Cup competitions (XC, Nordic Combined and Ski Jumping) and, in 2003, the second extraordinary World Championships. Almost 250.000 spectators gathered along the tracks and inside the stadiums, and 550 million in front of their TVs.
In 2007, the first ever FIS Tour de Ski took place in Europe and Val di Fiemme housed the final stage, along the impressive Alpe Cermis Final Climb. It was an incredible success, that strengthened the idea of Val di Fiemme as a symbol for cross country skiing not just in Italy, but all around the world to the extent that the eventual legs of the FIS Tour de Ski have been scheduled in Val di Fiemme until 2017 (next on January 5 and 6).
Further international events are also on the agenda for the years to come, namely the 2014 FIS Nordic Junior and Under 23 World Ski Championships and the 2015 FIS Roller Skiing World Championships. In December 2013, Trentino is hosting the 27th Winter Universiade and all Nordic competitions, including biathlon events at the brand new range built inside the XC arena, will take place in Val di Fiemme.
Talking about the XC stadium in Lago di Tesero and the Ski Jumping arena in Predazzo, they were both radically renewed in the past months and successfully tested during last winter’s pre-Worlds and some other events such as the FIS NC Summer Grand Prix last August. All the changes and enhancements to the two venues were made with profound respect with environmental issues, and any new or refurbished facility has been built with the purpose of being reused in the future as campuses, dance halls, music venues or meeting rooms, other than as sport arenas. Furthermore, venues respond to specific criteria and requirements that allow persons with disabilities the full enjoyment of races and events.
Athletes from more than 50 countries will be gathering in Val di Fiemme next February and 32 national and international broadcasters will be offering the Worlds to the entire planet. The opening ceremony will be held in the city of Trento on the 20 of February, and besides the known races, two brand new events will take place during the Italian Worlds, namely the Ski Jumping Mixed Team competition on HS 106 hill and a Nordic Combined Team Sprint event. Several entertaining events are also scheduled on an everyday basis from the 20 February to the 3 March.
Info: www.fiemme2013.com
