Stockholm prepared for 2019 World Cup on heels of Åre World Championships

STOCKHOLM, Sweden – Members of the World Cup Stockholm organizing committee and city officials met with FIS staff on 4 July at the site of the 2019 event at Hammarbybacken to establish a plan for preparing the race slope and arena and tackling other organizational logistics in the upcoming season. The 2019 event is scheduled on the heels of the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships in Åre, Sweden, and the organizing committees of both events are one in the same, making for a tight turnaround to Stockholm.

The FIS Alpine World Ski Championships conclude in Åre on 17 February 2019 with the Stockholm World Cup city event following on 19 February. Åre 2019 Event Director Kaj Linde, Sport Director Anders Sundqvist, and Assistant Sports Director Hans Olsson met with FIS Ladies' Chief Race Director Atle Skaardal, Technical Race Director Markus Mayer, Technical Operations Manager Andi Krönner, and Media Coordinator Christine Feehan to establish a plan for covering all emerging needs at both venues as they will arise simultaneously.

"I think we have a good plan in place to ensure thorough coverage at both venues with our crew from the team event wrapping up in Åre on Tuesday (12 February) and heading down here to Stockholm immediately," said Linde. "We're also using completely different supplying vendors for the two events, so there will be no problem with coordinating that piece."

The past and future success of the Stockholm city event could complement the Swedish capital's Olympic bid for the 2026 Games. The race currently appears on the long-term World Cup calendar through the 2020/21 season. FIS also sees great potential in the city event continuing in Stockholm at the SkiStar venue for years to come.

"We think this is a great event to hold in places like Stockholm and also other major cities around the world. Alpine skiing typically occurs high in the mountains, but we want our sport to also be attractive for fans in big cities," noted Skaardal. Packed grandstands at the Stockholm World Cup over the past three seasons have demonstrated the local appreciation for this event, and city officials are also on board to support it in future editions as well.

Swedish fans will no doubt turn out in droves to watch their 2018 Olympic slalom gold medallists, Frida Hansdotter and André Myhrer, battle it out under the lights at Hammarbybacken on 19 February 2019.