Sad end: Ski World Cup in Lienz is canceled forever!

Sad end: Ski World Cup in Lienz is canceled forever!

Lienz, Österreich - The Alpine Ski World Cup scene in Austria has suffered a bitter setback. In the future, no alpine ski world cup races of women will take place in Lienz. This decision was announced on March 27, 2025. Christian Scherer, General Secretary of the Austrian Ski Association, expressed his regret about this loss and made it clear that the World Cup in Lienz had "died" forever. Scherer recalled that Mikaela Shiffrin was the last winner in Lienz, who won both races in 2023.

An important reason for the cancellation of the event is the final closure of the Hochstein ski area for financial reasons. The Zettersfeld, which was considered as an alternative venue, was also considered unsuitable. In addition, there is no written confirmation of a possible opening of the Hochstein, which continues to complicate the situation. The technology competitions in Lienz traditionally took place every two years between Christmas and New Year's Eve and would have been their turn in 2023.

historical context of the alpine world skiing cup

The Alpine Ski World Cup, organized by the International Ski Association FIS (Fédération Internationale de Ski), has a long history. The first World Cup race took place on January 5, 1967 in Berchtesgaden and was won by Heinrich Messner. Since then, the World Cup has continued to develop and has become an important series of competition that is held every year from October to March. This season, the 2024/25, will take numerous races in Europe, North America and other locations.

A significant aspect of the World Cup is the FIS point system, which allows the top 30 athletes to collect points in the races. At the end of each season, the runner is awarded the most points with a large crystal ball, while small crystal balls are awarded for the discipline winners. The participants must also adhere to certain criteria in terms of their FIS points in order to be able to participate in the competitions.

The Alpine region remains an important location for the Ski World Cup, even if Lienz will no longer be there. However, the hope for new venues and other high -class races remains. The fate of Lienz could represent a turning point in the planning and organization of ski events in Austria.

Further information on the current situation and the historical background of the alpine world of skiing cup can be found in the articles of laola1 and wikipedia .