Park City, Utah – Vail/Beaver Creek is back in the running to host the biennial world alpine ski championships.
The U.S. Ski & Snowboard Association announced Tuesday it will nominate the resorts for the 2013 championships. Vail/Beaver Creek previously hosted world championships in 1989 and 1999, but lost out in the bidding for the 2009 championships to Val d’Isere, France. The Vail Valley Foundation chose not to bid for the 2011 event.
“We thought it was time to entertain another bid, particularly one that comes from outside of Europe,” said Ceil Folz, president of the Vail Valley Foundation. “With the support of the U.S. Ski Team and Vail Resorts, we all decided this was the right time to get back into the game.”
Most observers believe Schladming, Austria, is the favorite to win the 2013 championships, but the U.S. may be able to exploit some anti-Austria sentiment within the International Ski Federation, especially if Salzburg/Kitzbuehel wins the 2014 Olympics this summer.
If Vail/Beaver Creek wins the 2013 event, the technical events will be held in Vail and the speed events at Beaver Creek. A new women’s downhill/super-G course would be built at Beaver Creek. Women’s speed events previously have been contested at Vail.
“I think it’s a tremendous opportunity,” said U.S. Ski Team alpine director Jesse Hunt. “It creates great energy. We’ve had success there. We’d love to be at home in a big event at venues where we’ve had good history.”
It would also come at a time when the team’s current young stars – Julia Mancuso, Ted Ligety and Ski Club Vail product Lindsey Kildow – would be 28 years old and most likely at the peak of their careers.
