FIS inspection wraps: Vail/Beaver Creek impresses

By Published On: September 19th, 2007Comments Off on FIS inspection wraps: Vail/Beaver Creek impresses

For Colorado to compete against Europe for the 2013 World Alpine Ski Championships, it has to impress — and that wasn’t an issue last week during the International Ski Federation inspection at Vail and Beaver Creek.
    “Overall I think the inspection went well,” said Vail Valley Foundation President Ceil Folz.
    Vail/Beaver Creek, which hosted this event in both 1989 and ’99, wants to make it three in 2013. But the Colorado duo is competing with some European heavyweights in Schladming, Austria; St. Moritz, Switzerland; and Cortina, Italy.
FOR COLORADO
to compete against Europe for the 2013 World Alpine Ski Championships, it has to impress — and that wasn’t an issue last week during the International Ski Federation inspection at Vail and Beaver Creek.
    “Overall I think the inspection went well,” said Vail Valley Foundation President Ceil Folz.
    Vail/Beaver Creek, which hosted this event in both 1989 and ’99, wants to make it three in 2013. But the Colorado duo is competing with some European heavyweights in Schladming, Austria; St. Moritz, Switzerland; and Cortina, Italy.
    Vail/Beaver Creek was the last of the four candidate resorts to be inspected by an eight-member FIS delegation Sept. 13-14.
    Folz said the two-day inspection and proposal presentation was meant to provide the FIS with an overview of what Vail/Beaver Creek could offer racers, spectators and international press come 2013. Beyond emphasizing Vail’s commitment to the environment, the highlight was a proposed women’s downhill course at Beaver Creek. According to Folz, the course would begin to the right of the current Birds of Prey start but run into the men’s course about midway down and dump into the same finish area.
    “It would be exciting to have a new women’s downhill in the U.S.,” Folz said.
    The FIS had only one critique of the venue as a whole, Folz said. The Vail Valley Foundation hopes to hold the contest at both Vail and Beaver Creek, but hosting the technical events in Vail could be an issue because the stadium is smaller, Folz said. So whether the bid is for both Vail and Beaver Creek is the real question.
    “Other than that,” Folz said, “there is no question on our bid. It’s a solid bid.”
    Next week, the delegation will compile a report that will be distributed to the 17 voting members of the FIS Council.
    Folz said the Vail/Beaver Creek proposal might be modified as early as next week, but added it will likely take 30 to 60 days before there is a final decision on whether the bid will include both Vail and Beaver Creek.
    “We’ll go back to the drawing board and look at that,” she said.
    The vote for the 2013 worlds will take place May 29, 2008, at the FIS Congress in Cape Town, South Africa.

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About the Author: Pete Rugh