Sölden ski races mark begin of World Cup

Thrilling races in the middle of autumn await visitors once again this year at the World Cup opener in Sölden. The world's best skiers will meet this time already on October 17 and 18, 2020 for the first giant slalom: On Saturday the ladies will start, on Sunday the men will throw themselves down the slope on the Rettenbach glacier. For safety reasons, the races will take place one week earlier and without spectators.

>> All dates: Ski World Cup 2020/2021

The Rettenbach Glacier's special feature is its difficult incline of up to 65%. From the starting house at an altitude of 3,040 meters the athletes face 46 to 54 slalom sticks, depending on the route. 

>> See webcam with a view of the course

Fans normally will be able to see almost the entire course from their stands and seating areas. And there is a lot to see, with athletes reaching maximum speeds of 85 kilometers per hour. 7,000 meters of security fences and 4,000 meters of safety nets have been installed for security purposes, as well as 11,500 meters of cable to supply the necessary technologies.

>> See webcam with a view of the finish area

Schneehöhen

In recent years, the organisers have welcomed over 25,000 spectators to Sölden. In times of Covid-19 this will be different: Only the racers, their coaches, the organization team, the media and a few invited guests will be allowed at the Glacier. These will also all be located in self-contained sectors and will have no contact with each other.

To make this possible and to ensure that the glacier area can be used exclusively for the event, the event has been moved forward by one week in advance. The party and supporting programme will also not take place this year. In addition to the distribution of starting numbers and the award ceremonies in the centre of the village, the fan club parade on Saturday afternoon will also be cancelled.

Saturday, October 17^th 2020

Sunday, October 18^th 2020

(Changes and additions can be made at any time.)