Big Cottonwood Canyon, UT – The U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA) has confirmed that Solitude Mountain Resort will host the snowboardcross and ski cross events for the 2019 FIS Freestyle and Snowboard World Championships to be held in Utah. In preparation for the World Championships, Solitude will host a test event, featuring a snowboardcross FIS World Cup and Grand Prix skicross event, Jan. 19–22, 2017. The test event will be the second stop on the U.S. Grand Prix tour for the 2016-17 season.
The World Championships, awarded to Utah in 2014, is scheduled for Feb. 1–10, 2019 and will bring the best freestyle, freeskiing and snowboarding athletes to three resorts in the Wasatch mountains. In addition to the events at Solitude, Deer Valley Resort (which now owns Solitude) will host aerials, moguls and dual moguls, and Park City Mountain will host halfpipe and slopestyle snowboarding and freeskiing.
“Our partner resorts, as well as the communities of Park City, Salt Lake City and the Utah Sports Commission, have been extremely supportive of bringing major international skiing and snowboarding competitions to Utah,” stated USSA Vice President, Events Calum Clark. “Solitude is a great addition to our event partners and we are looking forward to having them as part of the U.S. Grand Prix and hosting a successful test event for 2019.”
The U.S. Grand Prix event will be the first major international skiing and snowboarding competition Solitude has hosted. Officials from the USSA, the International Ski Federation (FIS), Solitude Mountain Resort and Deer Valley Resort have been on site, inspecting the venue and mapping out the course, which includes a finish right in the Village at Solitude.
“Adding Solitude as a third venue to the 2019 World Championships not only demonstrates the variety and access of skiing in Utah but the collaborative efforts of the local industry,” said Kim Mayhew, Solitude Mountain Resort general manager. “We are excited to host our first international event and can’t wait to showcase Solitude.”
Hosted every two years, the FIS Freestyle and Snowboard World Championships is the second largest international skiing and snowboarding event behind the Olympic Winter Games. A full event schedule will be announced by the FIS leading up to the event.
“We travel all over the world for our races, so to have an event like World Champs in the U.S. right in my backyard is awesome,” said U.S. Snowboarding athlete Faye Gulini, who resides in Salt Lake City. “I’m really excited for the opportunity to compete in the U.S. Grand Prix this coming season and ride on the amazing terrain at Solitude.”