Johan Eliasch, FIS President since June 2021, was in Crans-Montana this week to meet the members of Club 5 Ski Classics, an organisation that brings together the organisers of the major races in the Alpine Skiing World Cup. This was an opportunity for the Swedish-British businessman to talk about his relationship with the Valais resort, for which he has a deep appreciation.

What are your links with Crans-Montana?
Crans-Montana is an iconic ski and golf destination, it has gained its golf reputation over many years. It's a beautiful place.

How did you feel about the resort being chosen in May as host of the 2027 World Championships?
It was the obvious choice! I'm very confident, I think there will be a lot of interest in the World Championships here, it's very exciting. When the FIS Council overwhelmingly agreed to award them to Crans-Montana, I was not really surprised, the bid itself was excellent. In 1987 the World Championships here were great, and I think with the improvements that are going to be made, especially to the finish stadium, it's going to be perfect.

Can we expect to see the World Cup finals in Crans-Montana in 2026?
We haven't decided yet, but Crans-Montana is not guaranteed to be hosting them in 2026. But to be honest, do we need to test Crans-Montana before 2027? I don't think so (editor's note: the Men's Speed World Cup could stop off in the resort in 2025). We don't need to test Saalbach in 2024 with a view to 2025, so...

Is Valais a region you particularly appreciate?
Yes, I love this region. As a child, I spent a lot of time skiing in Zermatt and that's how I got to know Franz Julen (ex-Intersport CEO and organiser of the 'Speed Opening') so well.

DEPREZphoto sa, cransmontana

An extremely positive signal was given on Wednesday evening in Crans-Montana! The Crans-Montana Association of Municipalities (ACCM) Assembly of Delegates (ACCM) said a big "yes" to the guarantee credit for construction of the new finish line stadium for the 2027 World Championships.

The guarantee credit of CHF 14.490 million was unanimously approved, thereby strengthening the municipalities of Crans-Montana, Icogne and Lens’ support for competitive alpine skiing on the Haut-Plateau. The new stadium, which will be built in the same place as the current building, will be the showcase for Crans-Montana and Valais during the competitions in February 2027. In addition to support from the municipalities, the Canton and the Confederation have also committed to support the construction of this new site.

It should be noted that the stadium, which will be level with the finish line, is made up of several different levels and a vast basement intended to accommodate production buses during the races, and provide summer storage for bulky equipment which belongs to the municipality. The premises, which will meet International Ski Federation (FIS) requirements, will of course be used for the Alpine Skiing World Cup races, as well as other sporting and cultural events, both in winter and summer.

« This is great news », confirmed Nicolas Féraud, president of the ACCM Board of Directors. « It shows how united our municipality is in backing the events, and also the region’s enthusiasm for the World Championships, no doubt motivated by memories of the 1987 Championships, and the local population’s awareness of the importance of such a project. »

The stadium is due to be put out to public enquiry in the months ahead so that work can begin as soon as possible to meet the tight deadlines.

For the first time since joining the Club5 Ski Classics, a club that brings together the main organisers of World Cup races, in 2016, Crans-Montana welcomed its peers in order to look ahead to the future. The highlight of the Valais workshop was the visit of FIS President Johan Eliasch, who was able to share his vision with the somewhat worried organisers.

For a first, it was quite a firework display! The Club5 Ski Classics workshop lived up to all its promises this Monday and Tuesday in Crans-Montana. This meeting, the first in three years after a long period of the Covid-19 pandemic, that brings together organisers of the major Alpine Ski World Cup races, gave everyone greater clarity about the future. « The objectives were mainly achieved, which is extremely positive, » said the president of the organisation, Srecko Medven, after the various meetings.

The 18 members of the Club5, including the founders Kitzbühel, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Val d'Isère, Val Gardena and Wengen, took up the invitation. On Monday, the focus was on promoting the resorts through major events and innovation in terms of security. Several technical meetings were held at the same time at Le Régent Congress Centre. The day ended with a typical Valais raclette, one of the side events that helped to strengthen ties between the participants.

On Tuesday, the various stakeholders mainly discussed rights, and their relationship with the International Ski Federation. They were able to address their grievances to Johan Eliasch. The Swedish-British president, who has been president of the FIS for over a year now, responded positively to the Club5's invitation, and outlined what he hopes to change within the international body, starting with the centralisation of rights and an "improved" calendar.  « You are the ones that make skiing happen, you give a face to the sport, you are the pillars » reassured Johan Eliasch. « Without you, the races would not be possible, however it is also essential to be looking ahead. »

The gala dinner held afterwards provided an opportunity for the various organisers to strengthen ties before they travelled onwards to Zurich, where various FIS meetings are being held. « The varied programme, particularly outside of the meetings, enabled us to cultivate contacts, » said the workshop's organisers Marius Robyr and Hugo Steinegger, President and Vice-President of the Crans-Montana races. « This was very important after a pandemic period that has been difficult for everyone. » Crans-Montana has scored some great points ahead of welcoming the World Championships in 2027.

Video: SkiActu / DEPREZphoto sa, cransmontana

With just under six months to go before the women's World Cup races in Crans-Montana, a delegation from the FIS, led by Peter Gerdol, race director for the women's World Cup, Swiss-Ski and RTS, the official competition broadcaster, paid a visit to the organisers of the races on the Haut-Plateau, led by Marius Robyr, president of the organising committee.

Between working sessions and inspection of the Mont Lachaux piste, the various stakeholders discussed the route, course safety, location of the cameras and various changes to be made to the television production, as well as to the organisation of such an event.

Crans-Montana will host a women's World Cup downhill and super-G on 25 and 26 February 2023, just after the Courchevel/Meribel World Championships. The weekend before, the women's European Cup will take centre stage. And, as is now the tradition, a men's night slalom will illuminate the Haut-Plateau resort on Wednesday 11 January 2023.

Video (in French only): SkiActu / DEPREZphoto sa, cransmontana

Marius Robyr and Hugo Steinegger, the two executive directors for the Crans-Montana bid to host the 2027 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships, took advantage of the fact that Michelle Gisin and her partner, giant slalom skier Luca de Aliprendini, were staying on the Valais High Plateau to pay tribute to her. The gold and bronze medallist at the Beijing 2022 Olympic Games has been a charming and effective ambassador for the bid. Throughout the bid phase, Michelle Gisin managed to constantly draw the attention of the ski world to Crans-Montana’s many assets. She was also a charismatic, passionate and convincing actress in the film that was presented to the FIS Council just before the election - To view the film > https://www.cransmontana2027.ch/en/home/ > The Bid Film

Photo : Luciano Miglionico

There was something of a preview of the 2027 World Championships on the Haut-Plateau on Sunday 19 June, when many former and current ski stars gathered in summer temperatures. Crans-Montana Tourism together with the Association of Communes ACCM organised a party to celebrate the victory of the Swiss bid, and the whole population was invited to the event, where stars from the world of skiing were also present.

25 May 2022 will be remembered as a great day for Swiss skiing. On that evening, at a meeting in Milan, the FIS Council gave a green light to the joint bid by Swiss-Ski and Crans-Montana to host the 2027 Alpine World Ski Championships. Twenty-six days later, the entire local population was invited to celebrate the success of the bid with music, and in the company of past and present great skiers, other celebrities from the world of snow sports, and representatives of the local authorities. 

The Ycoor Plaza was the scene of an aperitif featuring specialities from Valais, followed by a retrospective of the impressive Swiss success in the 1987 World Championships, which were held in the same venue. Back then, Swiss-Ski won 14 medals in Crans-Montana, including eight of the ten gold medals at stake. Vreni Schneider, gold medallist in the slalom at the time, looked back on this historic event with Karl Alpiger (bronze in the downhill) and Michela Figini (silver in the downhill and super-G).

Mélanie Meillard, Luca Aerni and Dionys Kippel then took the floor to express the importance of these new home World Championships for today's athletes, 40 years on. Michelle Gisin, official ambassador for the 2027 World Championships, was also virtually present at the ceremony. The skier from Obwalden played a central role in the bid video.

Marius Robyr (Executive Director of the bid) and Hugo Steinegger (Deputy Executive Director of the bid) were honoured for their great services to Crans-Montana and alpine skiing in the presence of Swiss-Ski President Urs Lehmann, Christophe Darbellay, Councillor of State for the Canton of Valais, and the presidents of the municipalities Nicolas Féraud (Crans-Montana), Martial Kamerzin (Icogne) and David Bagnoud (Lens). Robyr and Steinegger will remain president and vice-president of the World Cup organising committee for the next few years, with the involvement of younger, proven forces. However, Marius Robyr will no longer play an active role in the 2027 World Championships. Together with Hugo Steinegger, he was elected to the Honorary Presidium of the World Championships 2027. Unfortunately, the latter had to stay away from this wonderful party due to an accident requiring rehabilitation.

Swiss-Ski president Urs Lehmann will be President of the World Championships organisation, which will consist of four members from Swiss-Ski and four members from Crans-Montana/Valais.

Video: SkiActu / DEPREZphotos sa 

What a thrill!

Since the FIS President opened the envelope and officially awarded the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships to Crans-Montana, the entire destination has been in a state of excitement. This prospect motivates and brings together the entire population of the Valais, who wish to celebrate this great victory.

A festive day will therefore be held on
Sunday 19 June
to celebrate the designation of Crans-Montana as host of the 2027 World Championships.

You are all welcome to this beautiful day,
which will take place at Ycoor in Crans-Montana.
This is the programme:

From 10:30 am
Aperitif offered

11.30 am
Official ceremony with personalities from the world of sport and politics

From 12.15 to 17.00
Catering, bars and concerts

Come and join us to celebrate and participate in the symbolic and popular launch of this great event.

That’s it! Forty years after 1987, Crans-Montana is once again the epicentre of world skiing. The International Ski Federation (FIS) council awarded the organisation of the 2027 World Championships to Crans-Montana on Wednesday. The world's best skiers will once again compete on the Haut-Plateau - 40 years after the memorable celebration of skiing in 1987. Thanks to a strong bid and excellent teamwork between the Bid Committee, the political authorities, the ski lifts company and Swiss-Ski, Crans-Montana was rewarded in Milan. The Valais resort prevailed in the 1st ballot with a majority of 11 votes. Narvik and Soldeu got 3 votes each, Garmisch-Partenkirchen 1.

“Obtaining the 2027 World Championships is the reward for the excellent work carried out by the whole team over the last few years," said Urs Lehmann, President of Swiss-Ski and Vice President of the Bid Committee. “Our project was the most convincing because everyone, from the municipality to the canton Valais, pulled together. We also had widespread support from the ski lifts company and the local population. The members of the FIS Council recognised and honoured this.” The 1993 downhill world champion is himself one of the decision-makers, and was therefore able to lend his voice to the Valais bid.

Nicolas Féraud, President of the Bid Committee, also referred to a "very high level bid" which made him "proud". The President of the Association of Crans-Montana Municipalities has already promised to "do everything possible to make the event memorable" and intends to take advantage of the experience gained from organising FIS World Cup events in particular. "The technical knowledge and enthusiasm of the local population for skiing are widely recognised in Valais, and particularly in Crans-Montana”.  

For his part, Marius Robyr expects "a magnificent festival of skiing that will attract over 200,000 spectators and, once again, there are sure to be breathtaking Swiss performances on the snow". The Executive Director of the bid underlines Crans-Montana’s "enormous experience", having organised World Cup and European Cup events almost every year since 2008. The Valais resort also successfully hosted the European Cup finals in 2009, and the World Junior Championships in 2011.

“The legendary Nationale and Mont Lachaux pistes have been completely redeveloped in recent years. Our master plan, which was drawn up several years ago, has paid off", says Hugo Steinegger, Executive Vice President of the bid. "A new, state-of-the-art, multi-functional finishing stadium will also be built before the World Championships.”

Now the bid is complete, it is also time to celebrate, says Marius Robyr and his team. The public will be invited to a big party on Sunday 19 June to celebrate the forthcoming World Championships in Crans-Montana.

Zoom Agency / DEPREZphoto sa, cransmontana

The Crans-Montana Ski Lift company (CMA), the Swiss Ski Federation (Swiss-Ski) and the Association of Communes of Crans-Montana (ACCM) have signed a tripartite agreement leading to the creation of an association. This agreement formalises and ensures close collaboration between the three stakeholders, notably in the framework of the bid to host the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships in Crans-Montana in 2027.

Initialled on 26 February in the presence of representatives of the three parties, the agreement formalises the creation of an association guaranteeing the general framework for the organisation and implementation of the Alpine World Ski Championships in conjunction with the submission of a bid by Swiss-Ski to the International Ski Federation (FIS).

In anticipation of and pending the official award of the contract (25 May), this agreement makes it possible to anticipate the legal, operational and organisational provisions that implementation of the event would represent. The preparation of competition infrastructure, logistics, transport and accommodation services, as well as security and other issues are defined in the association agreement, which also ensures the sharing of skills, knowledge and expertise as well as mutual support between the parties and members of the organisation.

It also provides for the creation of a committee consisting of a chairperson, members of the association mentioned above, and local representatives. This committee will also be responsible for establishing organisational rules, and dividing responsibilities between the committee and the management.

It should be noted that in addition to the objective of successfully implementing the event on an organisational level, the association’s agreement also undertakes to support the sustainable development of sporting, regional and economic interests of Swiss sport and the region of Crans-Montana and Valais.

For the ACCM Board of Directors, "this agreement reflects the three partners’ intent to work together to ensure successful organisation of the Alpine World Ski Championships. The municipalities of Crans-Montana, Icogne and Lens are delighted to be signing this important agreement ."

For Philippe Magistretti, CMA president, "this agreement not only enables us to allocate the logistical and operational skills required to organise a major event, it also demonstrates the spirit of unity around this sporting project, the objective also being to promote the assets of our destination in terms of tourism."

For the CEO of Swiss-Ski, Bernhard Aregger, the conclusion of this agreement is an extremely positive sign: "In the hope that the FIS will award the World Championships to Swiss-Ski and Crans-Montana, with this framework contract we have taken an important step with a view to organising this major event. The foundation stone has been laid so that 40 years after the last World Championships on the Haut-Plateau, major festivals can once again be held in Valais."

As the 2022 Ski World Cup season has just ended, Michelle Gisin, our ambassador for the 2027 Crans-Montana World Championships bid, has returned to her important role.

"I'm so happy with my season, it went really well. Thank you everyone for following me, for your support, you really are the best. Thank you so much! And now we're going to give it our all, we're going to go all out to bring the 2027 FIS World Ski Championships home to Crans-Montana."

Video: SkiActu