Saturday, 12 February 2022.
Grandvalira ENSISA today commemorated, in a symbolic meeting, the tenth anniversary of the first Alpine Ski World Cup that took place in Soldeu on 11 and 12 February 2012. The members of the Organizing Committee and the Honour Committee for the event, members from the country's institutions, and personalities from the world of skiing gathered at the foot of the Avet course to attend a parade of flags from the countries that participated at the time, led by the children born in 2012 from the Soldeu Ski Club (SEC) and the Ski Club of Andorra (ECA). Later, speeches were given by the senior consul of Canillo, Francisco Camp, the former president of the Andorran Ski Federation (FAE), Albert Coma, the general director of the 2012 World Cup, Conrad Blanch, and the director of Grandvalira ENSISA, David Hidalgo.
The Avet course in the Soldeu sector of Grandvalira held the slalom and giant slalom events of the Women's Alpine Ski World Cup. The Austrian Marlies Schild climbed to the top of the podium in the slalom event, becoming the first winner of a World Cup event held in Andorra. Tessa Worley from France was the winner of the giant slalom.
Andorra became the 25th country to receive the great white circus, the most important competition in the world. The event began to take shape in 2008 when the International Ski Federation (FIS) awarded the races to the Pyrenean country.
The organization was a great challenge for the resort, for the FAE, and for the whole country, since the competition would become one of the best platforms for the international promotion of Andorra as a snow tourist destination.
The 2012 event is especially remembered for the inclement weather. In addition, the organization worked hard in the early hours of Friday, 10 February, to repair the effects of a storm (with wind gusts of up to 100 km/hour) that had affected the assembly of the competition stage. The team, with the invaluable help of the volunteers, reacted in an epic way and managed to get everything ready to put on the giant slalom passed on from a cancelled race in Courchevel but which, due to the wind, was cancelled once again.
Despite the cold (temperatures of 13 degrees below zero), a total of 14,000 fans filled the arrival area and surroundings of the Avet course throughout the three days to cheer on and energize the show.
A total of 3,000 people were authorized at the event. Some 86 racers from 17 countries around the world competed. The organization had the support of 220 volunteers on the course and 150 off it. A total of 230 professionals from 98 communication media attended.
Avet, one of the best giant slalom courses in the world
Some great ski stars were in Soldeu that February 2012, including Lindsey Vonn, a very young Mikaela Shiffrin who was only 16 years old, Lara Gutt, Tina Maze, and Maria Höfl-Riesch. The latter was one of those that praised the Avet course, considering it the best in the World Cup.
The path
Since the first World Cup held in Soldeu, Andorra has achieved different milestones in top competition such as several Europa Cups and Europa Cup Finals, but it has also hosted a World Cup with the super giant and alpine combined events in the year 2016, and a successful World Cup Finals in 2019. The next appointment on the calendar is the Europa Cup Finals from 14 to 20 March 2022, an event that will be the prelude to new World Cup Finals in 2023 (from 13 to 19 March) when the 25 best male and female skiers on the planet from all disciplines will be back to compete. At the same time, Andorra is a candidate for the Alpine World Ski Championships of 2027, competing with all-time great Alpine resorts such as Crans Montana (SUI), Garmisch Partenkirchen (GER), and Narvik (NOR). The venue will be chosen at the end of next May.
