Music, Mixed Team drama and Mozart on skis: Alpine Worlds open in style

The 48th FIS Alpine World Ski Championships began on Tuesday in the Austrian Alps, with an opening ceremony like no other. For the first time, the programme was interspersed with action from the slopes, as the first event of Saalbach 2025, the Mixed Team Parallel, helped get proceedings off to a spectacular start.

Act One took a ski-loving girl and boy from the Glemmtal Valley on a journey through Austria carrying their dreams in a snow globe. This odyssey featured musical and theatrical interludes including an appearance from nearby Salzburg’s favourite son, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

After a digital flash mob performed the official World Championship song 'Highs and Lows', the legendary composer would appear again in the fourth and final act, skiing through the finish area and whipping up the crowd to Falco’s hit ‘Rock Me Amadeus’.

In between, crowds were treated to a digital flag parade featuring designs from local ski club children and more live performances from acts as diverse as Masters of Disaster – a rock band comprising three former World Cup skiers – and the Salzburg Philharmonic Orchestra. This was followed by a celebration of ‘the Sunny World Championships 1991’, the last time Saalbach hosted the event.

In the end, though, it was the skiing that took centre stage – just as the organisers intended – with Italy shocking Switzerland to claim gold in the Team Parallel thanks to an incredible final run from Alex Vinatzer (ITA/Atomic).

FIS President Johan Eliasch praised the athletes’ dedication and determination in his speech. “You show us hope,” he said. “You make us believe that anything is possible. In these times, we need hope more than ever before.”

Saalbach 2025 will also mark a century of Longines’ commitment to the sport. As Official Partner of the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships, the luxury watchmaker has been at the forefront of timekeeping since it first provided the equipment for a nearby ski race in 1924.

“These Championships are about more than just timing excellence for us. It embodies our dedication to Alpine skiing,” Matthias Breschan, Longines’ CEO, said. “Today, we’re proud to support not only the technical accuracy that defines these championships but also the remarkable athletes [including Marco Odermatt (SUI) and Mikaela Shiffrin (USA, pictured] who exemplify our ethos that elegance is an attitude – even on skis.”

To commemorate Saalbach 2025, Longines is presenting the official watch of the championships: the Conquest Chrono Ski Edition, which is limited to just 2,025 pieces.

Click here for the full schedule and results from Saalbach