The list of registered nations will be completed over the coming weeks, but in the meantime the secretariat of the ALPECIMBRA Fis Children Cup has already collected entries from 32 teams representing countries from all over the world, including welcome confirmations, curious newcomers and happy returns.
The renowned event dedicated to the young talents of alpine skiing in the under 14 and under 16 categories is preparing to celebrate its 65th edition, the 55th with the status of an International Criterium. The event, occasionally postponed from its usual dates due to priority requirements related to the Olympic Games, will take place from Monday 2 to Friday 6 March, with the traditional two-day Italian team selection (Monday 2 and Tuesday 3 March) preceding the international phase races, scheduled for Thursday 5 and Friday 6 March, brought forward by one day compared to tradition. As always, the competition venue will be the Fondo Grande slopes in Folgaria.
The qualified European teams from Austria (which will even field two teams), Norway, Finland, Croatia, as well as Poland, the Czech Republic, Great Britain, the Netherlands, Denmark, Lithuania, Latvia, Iceland, Luxembourg, Liechtenstein and Hungary, have already confirmed their participation, to name just a few. Numerous teams will also arrive from other continents, including the United States, Argentina, Chile and Brazil, as well as Australia, New Zealand and Japan. The absolute novelty concerns the participation of Azerbaijan, which will take part in the event for the first time. After an absence of about ten years, Andorra will return, while the list of competing nations is expected to grow further in the coming days.
The program will open with the selection races for the Italian team, scheduled for Monday 2 and Tuesday 3 March, when the best under 14 and under 16 athletes on the national scene will compete in slalom and giant slalom on the slopes of the Martinella Nord and Agonistica courses. The day before, in the heart of the town of Folgaria (6.30 pm), the parade of the FISI Committees taking part in the selections will take place. On Wednesday 4 March, again in Folgaria, the opening ceremony of the international phase will be held, which will then take place on Thursday 5 and Friday 6 March, following the same program as the national selections. It will be an opportunity to see the new emerging talents of alpine skiing in action, in an event that, year after year, has served as a springboard for many great champions of the World Cup circuit, from Marc Girardelli and Alberto Tomba to Henrik Kristoffersen and Dominik Paris, as well as Lindsey Vonn, Mikaela Shiffrin, Federica Brignone and Sofia Goggia, just to name a few.
In last year’s edition, Giada D’Antonio stood out, dominating the national selections and winning the under 16 giant slalom in the international phase, before quickly taking flight towards the biggest stages. In fact, in less than two weeks’ time, the promising skier from Naples will compete in the slalom event at the Milan–Cortina Olympic Games.
Before her, Croatia’s Zrinka Ljutić and the Italian-Albanian Lara Colturi had also made the big leap, two other talented athletes who left their mark on the roll of honour of the ALPECIMBRA Fis Children Cup before immediately establishing themselves on the World Cup circuit.
Before the spotlight turns to the Fondo Grande slopes in Folgaria and the competitions, however, the traditional Painting Award will take place. The event, sponsored by Banca per il Trentino Alto Adige, will accompany the sporting event for the 57th time and will be held on Saturday 21 February in Piazza Fiera in Trento, where children from primary schools across the province will be able to express their creativity and artistic flair.
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