The disappointment in the ski paradise is great: again no Alpine Ski World Championships in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. At least one fear of the Bavarian ski fans did not come true at the Fis Congress.
Garmisch-Partenkirchen (dpa/lby) - The chairman of the Garmisch Ski Club, Florian Fischer, wiped his tears from his eyes after missing the bid for the Alpine Ski World Cup in 2027. When the winter highlights were awarded in five years, Garmisch-Partenkirchen again came away empty-handed. "There is so much heart and soul in it. We had the most sustainable concept," said Fischer disappointed. The prestigious event will now be held in the Swiss municipality of Crans-Montana. That's what the international ski and snowboard association Fis decided on Wednesday.
There were a total of four applicants to host the World Ski Championships: in addition to Garmisch-Partenkirchen and Crans-Montana, Narvik in Norway and Soldeu in Andorra.
"It hurts me. Especially because we made an offer that no one else made," said the disappointed mayor of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Elisabeth Koch, to BR: "Fis would have had the chance to break new ground . Didn't they want to move away from gigantism towards something more sustainable? We could have delivered it. But obviously they didn't want to."
Bavaria's Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann (CSU) had also campaigned in advance for the Ski World Cup "dahoam" and described a possible World Cup in Bavaria as an "absolute highlight". Herrmann also emphasized the established infrastructure with a view to the existing Kandahar and Gudiberg slopes. "The sports facilities are there, so it's a top application in terms of sustainability," he explained in winter.
With the joint application of the market town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, the German Ski Association (DSV) and the Garmisch Ski Club, those responsible wanted to bring the winter highlight to the Werdenfelser Land for the third time after 1978 and 2011. When the 2025 World Cup was awarded, Garmisch - just like Crans-Montana - lost out to Saalbach-Hinterglemm in Austria. The next World Cup will take place in Courchevel/Méribel, France, in 2023.
The Upper Bavarian ski fans were spared another setback: Contrary to the first Fis plans from spring, the men's downhill classic on the Kandahar will now take place next winter. A giant slalom is also planned for Alexander Schmid's squad. For Linus Straßer and the slalom specialists there is a night slalom on the Gudiberg at the beginning of January. The two women's speed races, which were last held in Garmisch, are no longer included in the new calendar.
