The World Cup is the most important international circuit-based alpine ski competition in the world, along with the Winter Olympics and the Alpine World Ski Championships. The competition is held annually and features a calendar of trials for male and female skiers. It is considered the "Formula 1" of winter sports, where every detail counts: from the millimetrically precise preparation of the skis to the meticulous concentration in studying the course.
The principality was the venue for the first European Cup for alpine skiing, which took place from 6 to 9 March 1974 at Pas de la Casa (slalom and giant slalom at Costa Rodona and slalom on the central slope of Grau Roig). The pistes played host once again to the same competition the following year. Some years later, for the 1990-91 season Andorra was chosen to host two women's slaloms (El Mirador, Grau Roig), and since 2003 the country has formed part of the European Cup circuit. The organizational success of all these events meant the principality was entrusted with hosting the first World Cup in 2012 at the Avet slope, Soldeu. Added to this is the fact that, over the course of its skiing history, Andorra has produced 28 Olympic skiers and has been represented at 10 Winter Olympics, starting with Innsbruck in 1976.
In 2001, two years before the merger that produced Grandvalira, the decision was made to promote top-level alpine ski competitions. The idea arose once Andorra had completed its preparations as a candidate to host the 2010 Winter Olympics. Although the initiative did not get past the planning stage, it served to identify which pistes were the most suitable for the different FIS disciplines. Investment plans to improve the Avet piste were drawn up and in 2006 the country stood for the first time as a candidate to host the World Cup. Although it would not realize this ambition until 2012, from 2008 onwards Soldeu was used as a venue for various technical trials that formed part of the European Cup.
Andorra's successful hosting of European Cups in previous years meant that in 2012, Grandvalira experienced the thrill of a circuit-based winter sports competition at the highest level when it hosted the first FIS Women's Alpine Skiing World Cup. The success of the 2012 competition, in terms of organization as well as the condition of the pistes, led Grandvalira to be chosen once again, this time as the venue for two trials of the 2016 FIS Women's Alpine Skiing World Cup. The 2016 edition of the World Cup presented a new organizational challenge, given that it was the first time the event had been held on the Àliga piste. Grandvalira's successful hosting of these different editions of the World Cup gave FIS the confidence to award the resort the Finals of the FIS Men's and Women's Alpine Skiing World Cup 2019. As a result, in 2019 the pistes of Avet and Àliga will spend a week under the spotlight as venues for the World Cup.
Teams: 74 skiers from 20 different countries.
Technical staff from the resort: 100.
Volunteers: 190 on-piste and 90 off-piste.
Spectators: 10,000 on-piste, 1,400 for the opening ceremony and 1,200 for the prize draw for the competitor numbers.
Safety and security teams: 55 safety and security teams and 38 medical teams, plus 56 backup teams in the event of adverse weather conditions.
Total number of accredited personnel: 1,697.
Total number of media personnel: 192 accredited.
Press and news agencies: 45 contacts.
Photographers: 38 professional photographers (media, agencies and freelance).
Television personnel: 104 (10 stations).
Television stations: 15 live channels and 35 with the rights to delayed broadcast.
292 million potential viewers (average of 146 million per day).
The largest resort in southern Europe is to once again host the Finals of the European Cup. The event will be held across two sections of the World Cup course in the territory: namely, the legendary Avet piste in Grandvalira – Soldeu, and the iconic Àliga piste in Grandvalira – El Tarter. It will be the third time that the resort has had the honour of hosting this competition.
The Cup will also serve as an organizational test, ensuring that the 2019 World Cup Finals, which are to take place on the same pistes, are a resounding success.
The Avet piste was chosen to host the trials of the 2012 Women's Alpine Skiing World Cup. The competition venue is located in Grandvalira-Soldeu and its classic run, which was officially approved by the International Ski Federation (FIS) in October 2007, was specially prepared in order to provide a safe yet spectacular course.
The piste can be reached via the eight-person Soldeu gondola lift and the six-person Soldeu ski lift.
The piste faces north-west, which guarantees good-quality snow. Much of the downhill course passes through the village of Soldeu, which is where the finish line is located. As a result, the entire course is perfectly visible from the village and can be seen from the best rooms in most of the hotels.
All of the skiers that took part in the 2012 World Cup enjoyed the Avet piste, and the German skier Maria Hölf-Riesch, the 2010-11 champion, even went so far as to call it "the best giant-slalom piste on the circuit".
From a bird's-eye view, the Àliga SG and Àliga SL pistes comprise an "X" shape that is a precise echo of the Grandvalira logo. The competition venue is located in Grandvalira-El Tarter and its speed and technical routes, officially approved by the International Ski Federation (FIS), have been specially prepared over the years to ensure the safety of the skiers as well as spectacular performances.
It is 2.7 kilometres long, 60 metres wide and has an altitude difference of 600 metres. Skiers can reach speeds in excess of 120 km/h.
At the request of FIS, for the 2016 Women's World Cup the final section of the old Àliga slope (now known as Àliga SL) was restored, so that it could be made ready for hosting trials in the slalom (SL) discipline.
The main requirement is the motivation for contributing to the success of an international event of the highest level.
There are many different positions where everyone can contribute their skills.
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