The French resort town of Val d’Isere is hosting the FIS Alpine World Championships, which run from February 3rd through February 15th. The the opening ceremonies take place on Monday, February 02, 2009 with the Women’s Super-G opening the skiing events on Tuesday. The men follow with their Super-G on Wednesday. Always the highlight of the Championships, the Men’s and Women’s Downhill take place on Saturday, February 7 and Sunday, February 8, respectively.
While no men’s alpine skier has dominated this season, there will be plenty of stars on hand and plenty of drama to see who takes the coveted championship medals. On the women’s side, American Lindsey Vonn has followed up her championship last year with another stellar season and is in first place once again. Germany’s Maria Reisch who is in second place will be a favorite in the slalom, and Sweden’s Anja Paerson will also be a contender.
Defending Men’s World Cup Champion Bode Miller of the US has not won a race so far this year, but has been close on several occasions. Also, last year’s Downhill Champion, Didier Cuche of Switzerland, has failed to win a race. The current leader in the men’s side is Ivica Kostelic of Croatia, and while he has been remarkably consistent, he has only won one race. Austria’s Benjamin Raich has the most victories so far this season with three.
Val d’Isere, located in southeastern France’s Alps region, has been called the Most Beautiful Ski Area in the World. The area has one of the most advanced lift systems in the world and skiers can have days of great skiing with outstanding views. The lifts connect with neighboring Tignes to incorporate over 20,000 acres of terrain and 90 lifts. It is a great place to host the World Championships, and a wonderful destination to visit any time.
