TORINO: ALPINE: COMPETITION VENUES

By Published On: February 8th, 2006Comments Off on TORINO: ALPINE: COMPETITION VENUES

TORINO: ALPINE: COMPETITION VENUES{mosimage}Alpine skiing

Total events: 10
Approximate number of athletes: 270

Venue 1 – Sestriere Colle

Spectator information
Expected number of spectators: 9,250

Location
The facility is located at Sestriere (altitude 2,035 m) on a pass of the same name that connects the Alta Val Chisone with the Alta Valle di Susa. The SS 23 and 24 roads connect Sestriere to the Valle di Susa and the Val Chisone.

Description of the facilities

Sises – giant slalom
The ‘Sises’ giant slalom course is one of the most technical courses in the world. The men’s start is located on the top of Mount Sises, while the women’s start is located halfway down the first section. The upper part of the course is fairy steep, with wide spaces and changes in slope height that guarantee spectacular performances. After
a brief ‘false’ flat stretch, the course becomes unexpectedly steep and difficult as it winds its way through a wooded area. The degree of steepness continues to vary through the finish.

Giovanni A. Agnelli – slalom
The ‘Giovanni A. Agnelli’ slope where the slaloms will take place runs parallel to the giant slalom course. The first stage of the course is very steep and demanding; this is followed by a slightly easier stretch that then drops steeply again.

Training venues
Several slopes are available in the proximity of the competition courses to give athletes similar characteristic and condition for training and equipment testing.

Field of play
(Competition/start/finish/vertical drop/course length)
Men’s giant slalom 2,480 m 2,030 m 450 m 1,434 m
Women’s giant slalom 2,430 m 2,030 m 400 m 1,337 m
Men’s slalom 2,240 m 2,030 m 210 m 660 m
Women’s slalom 2,210 m 2,030 m 180 m 616 m
Women’s combined (slalom) 2,210 m 2,030 m 180 m 616 m
Women’s combined (slalom) 2,170 m 2,030 m 140 m 530 m

Venue 2 – Sestriere Borgata

Spectator information
Expected number of spectators: 8,560

Location
Borgata is part of Sestriere. The town is about 5 km from Sestriere and is connected to Sestriere Colle by a ski lift and to Col Basset (Sauze d’Oulx) by a cable car.

Description of the facilities

Kandahar Banchetta (G. Nasi)
The men’s downhill, downhill combined and super G are contested on the ‘Kandahar Banchetta (G. Nasi)’ slope. The first part of each course alternates brief flat stretches with very technical bends. The course then enters into a wooded area, where it becomes steeper and faster with a mixture of alternating turns and ‘schuss’ that continues until the finish area.

Field of play
(Competition/start/finish/vertical drop/course length)
Men’s downhill 2,800 m 1,886 m 914 m 3,299 m
Men’s combined downhill 2,686 m 1,886 m 800 m 2,965 m
Men’s super G 2,536 m 1,886 m 650 m 2,325 m

Weather data for last 10 years
Average maximum temperature in February 3.9 °C
Average minimum temperature in February -4.8 °C
Average snow depth in February 87 cm

Venue 3 – San Sicario Fraiteve

Spectator Information
Expected number of spectators: 6,160

Location
The slope for the women’s downhill is located in San Sicario, a district of Cesana (1,690 m). It stretches from the Fraiteve peak (2,702 m) to Roccia Rotonda (2,392 m).

A new ski lift will connect Sestriere to San Sicario. Cesana can also be reached by road on the SS 24.

Description of the facilities
The slope, a part of the highest point of Monte Fraiteve, crosses half of the versant of the Soleil Boeuf region to then finish in correspondence of San Sicario. The first section of the course is a fairly steep wall, which allows the skiers to reach a high speed very quickly. They then enter a wooded area where the course levels out slightly before becoming very steep and fast again. The last portion of the course consists of a misleading flat section and ends with a very steep wall and a jump just before the finish line. The course is accessed by the Roccia Rotonda quad lift and by the Soleil Boeuf, Rio Inverso and Fraiteve T-bars.

Training venues
Several slopes are available in the proximity of the competition courses to give athletes similar characteristics and conditions for training and equipment testing.

Post-Olympic use
All courses will return to normal use by the ski resort.

Field of play
(Competition/start/finish/vertical drop/course length)
Women’s downhill 2,538 m 1,738 m 800 m 3,202 m
Women’s combined downhill 2,400 m 1,738 m 662 m 2,822 m
Women’s super G 2,286 m 1,738 m 548 m 2,358 m

Weather data for last 10 years
Average maximum temperature in February 2.5 °C
Average minimum temperature in February -9.2 °C
Average snow depth in February 90 cm

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About the Author: Pete Rugh