EDITORIAL

 

Crans-Montana is confidently aiming for
the 2027 World Championships

  1. On 26 May 2022, the board of the International Ski Federation (FIS) will have the difficult task of designating the host of the Alpine World Ski Championships. Having presented their first bid for the 2025 Championships, Crans-Montana is now hopeful as the date that will decide the host of the event in 2027 approaches. The ambitious bid committee has refined the project, which meets all of the demands for an event of this kind.

    “We are very confident that the members of the FIS council are keen to come to Crans-Montana in 2027 for a wonderful festival of skiing”, Marius Robyr, executive director of the bid, is convinced. The possibility of the World Championships taking place on the Haut-Plateau in the near future for a second time, 40 years after 1987, is backed by the solid bid that has been submitted.

    Positive and promising feedback has been received from the group of FIS experts, and several key figures in the Federation praised a bid dossier that was judged to be complete and meticulously prepared. “Being awarded the organisation of this event would be a great opportunity to get young people involved in snow sports”, recalls Michelle Gisin, the 2018 Olympic alpine combined champion, and bid ambassador.

     

  2. Members of the FIS council will make their decision at the 53rd congress in Vilamoura (POR). “The campaign is already well underway” explains Hugo Steinegger, executive vice director of the bid committee. “Now we have to make the transition from paper to reality. The first phase of work in the finish area has already begun, while the Nationale piste was extensively remodelled in autumn 2021.”

    Crans-Montana 2027 can also count on committed support from Federal Councillor Viola Amherd.  “Crans-Montana has always been capable of demonstrating its talent and experience as a host of competitions of all sizes”, stresses the Sports Minister. “This is why Crans-Montana is the ideal venue for the 2027 World Championships, 40 years after the unforgettable 1987 World Championships.”

    Urs Lehmann, Swiss-Ski president: “Where alpine skiing is concerned, the enthusiasm for major events in our country is immense, and we can be sure that images showing this emotion will reach far beyond the Swiss Alps to the whole world.”

     

     

1.
OUR VISION

Authentic • Sustainable • Eco-responsible • Innovative

For many decades, Crans-Montana has been one of the most sports-oriented and innovative destinations in Switzerland. Thanks to our close collaboration with Swiss-Ski, the most important alpine skiing competition can return once again to Valais and Crans-Montana, after the unforgettable Worlds in 1987.

 

Reasons for our candidature

 

It would be a great honour for Crans-Montana/Valais to be awarded the FIS
Alpine Ski World Championships for a second time, after the 1987 event.

There are a variety of compelling reasons for the candidature:

Crans-Montana lies on a vast, sunny plateau at an altitude of 1,500 metres. It offers magnificent views over a chain of peaks, from the Matterhorn to Mont-Blanc.

A large number of facilities cater for sports fans. Crans-Montana truly offers all the advantages of an urban lifestyle in the mountains, with a wide range of quality hotels and restaurants, shops, boutiques, wellbeing facilities and lively nightlife.

The destination is located less than 3 hours from Geneva, Zurich, Basel and Milan airports, and is very well connected via rail and road, with four access routes from the valley floor. 

 

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IN THE HEART OF THE ALPS

 

A living tradition

 

The foundations for the fascinating history of skiing in Crans-Montana were laid on 7 January 1911. An Englishman, skiing pioneer Sir Arnold Lunn, was the trailblazer, organising the first downhill in the history of Alpine skiing, from the Plaine Morte Glacier down to Montana. From 1977 until the present day, Crans-Montana has organised 50 FIS World Cup races, over 60 European Cup and FIS races, two World Cup Finals (1992 and 1998), the European Cup finals in 2009, the Junior World Championships in 2011, as well as the unforgettable FIS Alpine World Ski Championships in 1987. Crans-Montana has made a name for itself
in the world of competition skiing.

7 January 1911 in Crans-Montana - First downhill in the history of alpine skiing.
Official poster of the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships 1987
Brigitte Totschnig (AUT) - Very first winner of the FIS World Cup in Crans-Montana (1977/ Downhill).
The FIS Alpine World Ski Championships 1987 - They were a total success in Crans-Montana.
Pirmin Zurbriggen at the ‘87 Worlds - Four medals (2 gold and 2 silver).
The Italian Alberto Tomba - One of the great skiing icons, was a triple winner in Crans-Montana.
Lindsey Vonn (USA) - dominated the World Cup downhills 2008 and 2010 in Crans-Montana.
The current finish stadium

2.
Strength of the candidacy

Strong points

    • Unique location in the heart of the Alps
    • Long tradition of skiing, thanks to hosting FIS World Cup & European Cup races since 1977
    • Ski World Championships ’87, a great success all round, to experience again in 2027
    • A competent organisation committee used to organising big events in close cooperation with Swiss-Ski
    • Two magnificent and demanding pistes, with a shared finish stadium
    • Stadium with all the infrastructure required by the FIS
    • Impressive concept for the “Barzettes” site with a new stadium, state of the art gondola, underground car park and hotel infrastructure
    • Race organisation incorporating infrastructure for lasting use
    • Quality accommodation in high-class hotels, apartments and chalets
    • Effective transport for spectators
    • Area for ceremonies and sponsor village in the centre of the resort
    • Promotion of snow sports for young people
    • Support from the Swiss Confederation, the Canton of Valais, Crans-Montana communes and the CMA Crans-Montana Ski Lift Company
    • PASSION & EMOTION, two keywords for the FIS Ski World Championships 2027

 

 

A VISIONARY AND SUSTAINABLE PROJECT

 

One of the cornerstones of the Crans-Montana/Valais bid for the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships is the complete transformation of the Barzettes site, from the Violettes cable car station to the finish area, including the construction of a new multifunctional finish stadium. The plans take into consideration all demands made by the FIS World Championships, and ideas put forward by the CMA ski lift company.

 

 

 

IMPACTFUL INFRASTRUCTURE

 

The area housing the new finish stadium and lower station of the Violettes cable car will be completely redesigned to accommodate the flow of skiers and the demands of competitions. The plans – which include a new cable car station, construction of a new high capacity underground car park (684 places) and new sports hotel capacities – are already well underway. During races, the 3,000m2 garage located underground, under the finish area, will be split into two equal sections, one for the host broadcaster lorries and the other for the Media Centre and its restaurant.

Project for the Violettes cable car lower station - including an enormous underground car park.
The finish area of the Nationale and Mont Lachaux pistes - It will be completely redesigned. On the right, the new finish area building.
The FIS Alpine World Ski Championships 2027 in Crans-Montana - planned with short distances between points.
View of the finish area of the Nationale and Mont Lachaux pistes - with the new finish area building, the cable car station, the underground car park and the new hotel 1 & 2 with the ‘Barzettes Plaza’.

 

TWO PISTES, ONE FINISH STADIUM

 

Crans-Montana offers an attractive piste concept: as was the case for the Worlds in 1987 and the World Cup races (since 1977), the spectacular Nationale and Mont Lachaux pistes would both share the same finish stadium for the 2027 World Championships.

 

 

The Nationale piste

The legendary Nationale, previously seen as a “ highway ”, was redesigned as an attractive racing piste for the 1987 World Championships. In 2007, major financial investments were made in order to adapt the piste to modern competition skiing. During the 2012 World Cup races, Bernhard Russi designated the Nationale “ Number 1 ” super G piste. During the 2027 World Championships, the downhill, super G, alpine combined and men’s and women’s giant slalom would take place on the 3,670 metre long Nationale.

THE MONT LACHAUX PISTE



The 2,451 metre long Mont Lachaux piste was defined as extremely demanding in the 1987 World Championships downhill. Technical sections, finesse, jumps, compression, banked corners offered the women skiers a complete course. For 26 years, the Nationale was favoured over the Mont Lachaux piste for organising World Cup competitions. The women’s World Cup returned to Mont Lachaux in 2014, after the closure of the piste in 2013 for maintenance work. Since then, the piste is renowned as one of the most beautiful and most difficult pistes in the women’s “ White Circus ”. During the 2027 Worlds, the women’s downhill, super G, alpine combined and slalom, as well as the men’s slalom and the parallel races, would take place on the Mont Lachaux piste.

3.

 

Big winners in crans-montana

Since the first World Cup races in Crans-Montana in 1977 (when Austrian Brigitte Totschnig was the first winner), almost without exception, only the big names in alpine skiing have celebrated success in the resort. This World Cup photo gallery presents some of the stars of the last few seasons.

Celebrations in Crans-Montana for Federica Brignone - The Italian won four alpine combined races in a row between 2017 and 2020
The downhill Olympic champion 2018 Sofia Goggia (ITA) - She won the downhill in Crans-Montana in 2019.
Ilka Stuhec (SLO) - Three podium places in 2017 including a super G victory.
Lara Gut-Behrami - Double victory in the downhill for Switzerland’s in 2020.
Didier Cuche (SUI) - He won his last race in Switzerland when he took the super G in 2012.
American Mikaela Shiffrin - You will find her on the list of winners in Crans-Montana, with her two victories in 2016 and 2017.

 

Unforgettable ceremonies

Ever since Crans-Montana started organising ski races at all levels, the resort has built itself a reputation with the "White Circus" for organising prizegiving and bib draw ceremonies with a warm and friendly atmosphere, while also providing plenty of additional entertainment. Spectators can enjoy a truly unforgettable festival of skiing. These events will also be organised during the 2027 World Championships, together with a fan zone and a sponsors’ village located in the Medal Area in the centre of the resort. 

Every year at the World Cup races : An air show by the Swiss Army PC-7 TEAM.
Ski World Cup Party with Oesch's die Dritten, the most popular Swiss folk music group.
Aerial acrobatics at the bib draw ceremony.
Traditionally, the World Cup races are launched with a magical LED downhill for all ages.
Thousands of fans are present for the official ceremonies in the centre of Crans-Montana.

 

Crans-Montana is well-known for its diverse and high-quality range of accommodation, with a wide choice of different categories and price ranges. The accommodation available on the sun-drenched plateau will meet all requirements for all stakeholders in the 2027 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships. The destination also offers a considerable amount of apartment and chalet type accommodation. Most are located centrally in the resort. Crans-Montana can also rely on a considerable amount of accommodation in the valley, around 20 minutes away, between Sierre (approx. 15 km) and Sion (approx. 30 km).

Quality accomodation

 

Environmental commitment

Sustainable development is in the Crans-Montana/Valais candidature DNA. All of our partners and our team, whatever their role or their function, are encouraged to ask themselves the question: « How can I contribute to minimising negative impacts and maximising positive impacts? ». The strategy is included in 3 programmes and 10 guidelines. These include renovations and construction, water, energy, food, waste management, biodiversity, movement of people, transport, social commitment and finally local economic development. Sustainability at the 2027 Worlds will be in line with the actions of the Swiss Confederation, the Canton of Valais’ 2030 Agenda and the municipality of Crans-Montana.



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arbre

 

Crans-Montana Absolutely

Crans-Montana hosts over 300 different sized events every year, including several international events.
The resort draws on its substantial expertise and a wealth of experience in event organisation, while offering a wide range of sports all year round for all generations. 

 

The CMA cable cars - Open 365 days a year.
Etoile Bella Lui Festival - Celebrate the magic of winter.
The Olympic standard halfpipe - in the biggest snowpark in French-speaking Switzerland.
Twelve giant luminous letters - to celebrate the resort’s 125th anniversary in 2018.
Pleasant paths - for ski touring and snowshoes.
The Caprices Festival - It welcomes thousands of visitors every year from all over Switzerland and from abroad.

4.
SUPPORT

 

Enthusiastic support

The Crans-Montana/Valais candidature for the 2027 FIS Alpine Ski World Championships is being led in close collaboration with Swiss-Ski. It can also rely on support from the Helvetic Confederation, the canton of Valais, the ACCM Association of communes, the municipalities of Crans-Montana, Lens and Icogne, as well as the CMA ski lift company and the Association Hôtelière de Crans-Montana. Their representatives convey their confidence and say YES to organising the Crans-Montana/Valais 2027 World Championships.