There were already those who were looking forward to a crackling end of the year in Alleghe with the first time in the Ski Civetta area of the Ski Cross World Cup, from 27 to 29 December. But the world championship appointment will not take place: the organizing committee of the Alleghe ski cross world cup has taken into account an unexpected increase in costs for the specific production of snow for the event, deciding to reserve all the resources available to produce snow and for the construction of the slopes for the many tourists expected in Alleghe. So the organizers decided, for fairness, to inform the FIS in good time of the decision, despite themselves, to cancel the races.
The international situation weighs on the decision with the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, followed by sanctions and the sudden increase in the costs of gas and oil that are beginning to envelop the world of snow as well. Four days ago in Kaniska Gora, Slovenia, it was the general secretary of the International Ski Federation, Michel Vion, who warned that the FIS itself expects more than a cancellation of major events, without excluding the World Championships, due to the problems linked to energy costs and water availability.
The decision for the 2022 edition is final, but the FIS seems oriented to bring Alleghe back to the World Cup in 2023 hoping for an improvement in the situation. Meanwhile, there are other renunciations in the air.
Sergio Pra, president of Alleghe Funivie does not hide his bitterness: “I am very sorry about the renunciation of the World Cup, it was one of the goals we had set for ourselves for years, to bring to our slopes an important race for the image of the locality , a first step to enter the international circuits that matter and that bring the TV as a dowry. It is obviously a marketing operation, but faced with the great uncertainty deriving from the ever-increasing costs of electricity, we preferred to concentrate our efforts to set up the slopes for the tourist-sports sector. We have given up on the 2022 stage, but it is our intention to return to the World Cup in 2023 if conditions are better ».
Sergio Pra
«The regret is great», Pra emphasizes, «because it was not easy to enter the World Cup, where great places have arrived before us. It will be a small consolation, but we are not the only ones in this constantly updated situation. Building the ski cross track involves a large production of snow and therefore at this time high costs. We dedicate all our efforts to prepare the slopes of the area according to the pre-established calendar, because this is our mission ».