Zurich, Switzerland – World Cup Alpine ski racing hasn’t been contested on the U.S. East Coast since Waterville Valley in 1993, but that’s not dissuading the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA) from proposing a visit to Killington, Vt., next Thanksgiving.
The USSA is proposing a Killington World Cup during meetings of the International Ski Federation (FIS) taking place this week in Zurich. The submission comes after years of work by the USSA to find an opportunity to bring World Cup ski racing to the most populated region of the country.
The proposed November, 2016 World Cup would include women’s giant slalom and slalom races on Killington’s Superstar trail. Among the athletes could be U.S. Ski Team superstars Julia Mancuso, Mikaela Shiffrin and Lindsey Vonn. If accepted by FIS, the dates would be Nov. 26-27, 2016, Thanksgiving Weekend. The race would fill the weekend traditionally hosted in Aspen during the season in which the Colorado resort is holding the World Cup Finals in March, 2017.
In a final site inspection on September 23, FIS Women’s World Cup Tour Director Atle Skaardal visited Killington and gave a positive report, which encouraged the USSA to move forward in the process. The bid will be submitted to FIS at its fall meetings in Zurich that run through Saturday. It is anticipated that the bid will then be put onto the draft 2016-17 World Cup calendar that will be finalized next June.
It would be the first World Cup in the eastern USA since 1991 when the U.S. Ski Team’s Julie Parisien won the giant slalom at Waterville Valley, N.H. The last World Cup held in Vermont was at Stratton in 1978.
“An eastern World Cup will have great impact on our sport by bringing the best ski racers in the world close to our largest population of USSA members and fans,” said USSA President and CEO Tiger Shaw. “Powdr, Corp. has always been a strong partner for the USSA and we have confidence that Killington is well suited to produce an exceptional early season World Cup.”
The USSA has had a long relationship with Killington operator Powdr Corp. producing World Cup and Grand Prix events at Copper Mountain, Colo., and Park City Mountain Resort in Utah. Killington has been a strong venue in alpine ski racing as a regular host to FIS Cup and USSA races.
“Killington is one of the premier resorts in the country and close to major eastern metropolitan markets,” said Powdr CEO John Cumming. “Powdr has produced World Cup events in the past at other resorts in our portfolio and has significant experience executing large-scale races such as the Audi FIS Ski World Cup.”
As an FIS World Cup, the event would be broadcast worldwide to over 60 nations, along with national broadcast coverage across America. The event is anticipated to bring significant economic impact to the state of Vermont, which other U.S. World Cups have seen extend to $15-20 million.