POSTED: Wednesday December 15th 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Val d'Isère gets the World Cup season off to a flying start on the Annecy 2018 playing field

Winter sports season in high gear at the French Alps

For the start of the winter sports season, the Annecy 2018 playing field hosted not only an Intercontinental Skeleton Cup on the Olympic track in La Plagne, but also two stages of the Alpine skiing World Cup, with last weekend's 55th edition of the Critérium de la Première neige in Val d'Isère.

The French Alps and, more specifically, the Savoie Mont Blanc region, have for many years been the theatre of a whole host of major winter sports competitions.  Since the very first Winter Olympics in Chamonix in 1924, the region has witnessed the surge in winter sports on its runs and tracks which have become a must for ski enthusiasts from all over the world. The region has developed expertise second to none when it comes to organising major sporting competitions, guaranteeing year in, year out the best possible conditions for the competing athletes.

"This winter's calendar includes no less than 12 international competitions, 10 World Cup events, a European Cup event and an Intercontinental Cup event, organised within the footprint of the Annecy 2018 bid, showcasing our expertise in the organisation of major sporting events", stated Christian Monteil, Chairman of the Supervisory Board and President of the Haute-Savoie General Council. "It's always with immense pleasure that the residents of our region welcome each year's international competitions, keen to share our passion for winter sports whilst ensuring a memorable festive experience for athletes and spectators from across the world."

Annecy 2018 Team ambassadors Perrine Pelen, Jean-Pierre Vidal and Antoine Dénériaz were in Val d'Isère for this international weekend of Alpine Skiing, flying high the colours of the French bid to host the 2018 Winter Games.

Moreover, as Perrine Pelen, Annecy 2018 ambassador, pointed out, "Val d'Isère also sets a truly magnificent example when it comes to legacy. Following the Alpine Skiing World Championships in 2009, the media centre was transformed into a swimming pool and fitness centre, for the region's inhabitants. This is a fine illustration of our ability to reconvert infrastructures developed for sporting events".

2010-2011 World Cup Calendar:
11-12 Dec: Men's Giant Slalom and Slalom in Val d'Isère
15 Dec: Moguls in Méribel
18-19 Dec: Women's Downhill and Combined in Val d'Isère
18-19 Dec: Cross-country skiing in La Clusaz
21 Dec: Women's Slalom in Courchevel
12-13 Jan: Skicross in Alpes d'Huez
16 Jan: Skicross in Les Contamines
16-17 Jan: Nordic Combined in Chaux-Neuve
29-30 Jan: Kandahar in Les Houches
20 Mar: Half Pipe Final in La Plagne
European Cup:
8-13 Mar: Biathlon in Le Grand Bornand, at the new "Sylvie Becaert" stadium
Intercontinental Cup:
11-12 Dec: Skeleton in La Plagne

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Keywords · Annecy 2018 · Olympic Bidding · Perrine Pelen · Alpine skiing World Cup

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Name: Alexandra Carraz
Organization: Annecy 2018 Bid Committee
Email:
Phone: + 33 (0)6 22 86 73 12
URL: http://www.annecy2018.com/fr/

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