The management and all of the Crans-Montana Alpine skiing races department heads know and appreciate just how precious the commitment from our volunteers is to the events. Our volunteers offer countless hours of work in many different sectors, in the preparation phase as well as on race days. It is only fitting that their important work is duly recognised. At the traditional « raclette for volunteers» evening at La Bergerie du Cervin restaurant, the president of the Organisation Committee, Marius Robyr, was quick to offer his warmest greetings and sincere thanks. Of course he didn’t forget to motivate the volunteers for the forthcoming European Cup races (16/17 February 2019) and the Ladies’ World Cup (23/24 February), and for the training that precedes the races. The music on this pleasant evening was provided by Jean-Bernard Rey on the accordian.

The Crans-Montana „Bénéclub“ is delighted to welcome new volunteers for the 2019 races. If you’re interested, please fill in the online form at /fr/benevoles/
The Organisation Committee thanks you in advance.  

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Bénévoles

Marius Robyr, the charismatic president of the Crans-Montana FIS World Cup Organisation Committee is omnipresent, keeping an eye on everything and paying great attention to details. He also values attendance at meetings, setting the example himself. This was the case on Thursday 21 November for the first big meeting of managers and their deputies for the 2019 races. With attendance at 93%, the brigadier said that he was very happy. And it showed.

The fact that the FIS International Ski Federation has added the Ladies’ Alpine Skiing races in Crans-Montana as a fixture on its annual calendar since 2016 is a huge plus for the organisers. This avoids having to start from zero each time in a multitude of different sectors, as was the case when the races were two-yearly, this in contrast allows for constant improvement. The FIS believes that the very demanding Mont Lachaux piste means that Crans-Montana is a site pre-destined for the Ladies’ speed races. On the programme next year, there will be a Downhill (Saturday 23 February/10:15) and a last Alpine Combined on Sunday 24 (Downhill 10:30/Slalom 13:30). Then for 2020 until 2022, speed races, as already announced by the FIS. It should be noted that from 2021 onwards, the races will move to the month of January, a change that was ardently desired.

2019
23 February Downhill (2 training sessions 21/22.02.)
24 February Alpine Combined (Downhill/Slalom)

2020
22 February Downhill
23 February Super-G

2021
23 January Downhill
24 January Super-G

2022
22 January Downhill
23 January Super-G

There were no long speeches, just succint and precise sentences to present the 2019 races and his team. In addition, and with his usual  enthusiasm, Marius Robyr delivered a positive and motivating message. Alongside other details, his presentation illustrated the work that has been carried out this autumn on the ground; work which aims to further improve the Super-G departure area, as well as levelling and extension of the area where the two VIP tents will be erected, right next to the finish stadium.

As is the case every year, the entertainment programme organised for the World Cup races will be  extremely attractive. We’ll be meeting of course at the Ycoor Ice Rink for the draw for start numbers (on Friday 22 for the Downhill and Saturday 23 February for the Alpine Combined) and for the Downhill prizegiving (on Saturday 23rd). On race days, just before the start of the race, eyes will be turned to the skies to watch a spectacular air show by the Swiss Air Force PC-7 TEAM. And on the Saturday evening, 23.02, in Le Régent Congress Centre tennis hall, there will, for the second time, be a huge World Cup celebration with the sensational group Die Jungen Zillertaler, and the Genderbüebu, the best accordian quartet around. As an aperitif before the World Cup races, the Organisation Committee will bring its tribe to the up and coming athletes by organising two European Cup downhills on Saturday 16 and Sunday 17 February. These races will be preceded by two training days on 15.02 and 16.02.  

The Organisation Committee, strengthened by their excellent team spirit, is ready once again to take on the « Ski World Cup challenge » with of course the much appreciated help of the CMA cable car company, the army (206 people on average per day on training days/racedays) and the civil protection service (26 people). The positive and profitable relationships with Swiss-Ski and the FIS are also of course a precious contribution.

In his presentation, Marius Robyr also outlines a positive interim report on the different tasks carried out so far for the Crans-Montana/Valais bid to organise the 2025 Alpine Skiing World Championships. Different important documents which will help form the bid dossier have been prepared by selected specialists. The branding is 80% complete, it inspires vibrancy, thrill and confidence. The logo, an integral part of this, is a convincing link between the canton of Valais, the destination of Crans-Montana and the FIS World Championships. All of the key branding elements for the bid adorn a new SMC bus, which was proudly unveiled by Marius Robyr, executive chairman of the bid committee, on 3 October to a group of invited figures from the political and tourist authorities, media representatives and other guests. As it has become the main partner of Swiss-Ski’s « House of Switzerland » – a large mobile chalet – at the next World Championships in 2019 (4-17 February) in Åre/SWE, Crans-Montana, in close collaboration with Valais and Swiss-Ski, marks an important first step. The deadline for submitting the 2025 bid is 1^st May 2019.  The FIS Council will assign the 2025 World Cup by vote at the FIS congress in 2020 in Marrakech (24-30 May).

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séance co

On Saturday 23 February 2019, on the evening of the World Cup Ladies’ Downhill in Crans-Montana, Le Régent tennis hall will take on a « Musikantenstadl » feel. In fact, DIE JUNGEN ZILLERTALER, who have been guests on this famous popular music television show 35 times, will honour us by performing within « our » walls. And they’re sure to set the venue on fire! For a quarter of a century, this most charismatic Austrian group, made up of Markus Unterladstätter, Daniel Prantl and Michael Ringler, has been travelling all over Europe, giving some 150 international concerts per year. Each time it’s a « huge » party. We promise that it’ll also be the same on the Valais Haut-Plateau. The GENDERBÜEBU, one of the best and most impressive accordian quartets in Valais, will also be playing. They’ll be warming up the audience with their exquisite blend of local music and catchy hits.  

DON’T MISS THIS EVENING. PLACES ARE LIMITED, AND WE STRONGLY RECOMMEND YOU PURCHASE YOUR TICKETS ONLINE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE (CHF 40.00/PERSON). YOU CAN BUY ONLINE VIA THE BUTTON BELOW, OR FROM CRANS-MONTANA TOURIST OFFICES. PLACES ARE NOT NUMBERED. DOORS OPEN AT 19.00. FOOD WILL BE AVAILABLE. THE MUSICIANS FROM ZILLERTAL AND THE UPPER VALAIS AND THE ORGANISERS WILL BE DELIGHTED IF YOU JOIN US. THE WALLS OF THE TENNIS CENTRE ARE SET TO SHAKE THIS EVENING !

Marius Robyr, President of the World Cup Organisation Committee
Hugo Steinegger, Vice-President of the World Cup Organisation and Show Manager

purchase your ticket here

(Event poster only in french)

The brand new official traditional Crans-Montana World Cup hat is here! Available in a different colour every year, right up until the hoped-for 2025 (or 2027)  Crans-Montana/Valais World Championships, the 2019 edition is a beautiful navy blue with orange trim and pompom. It looks great!

At CHF 20.00, it is on sale from Monday 12 November, from the Crans-Montana Tourism & Congress offices.

A great idea for a present, just a few weeks away from Christmas !  

(Document only in french)

The big popular music celebration, celebrated for the first time last year as part of the 2018 World Cup Skiing races, was a resounding success. The tennis centre at « Le Régent » Congress Centre was packed on the night. 1000 people were buzzing to the catchy melodies of the most popular Swiss folk group, Oesch’s die Dritten. Hugo Steinegger, vice-president of the World Cup Organisation Committee and initiator of this crazy evening, has kept the promise made during the Oesch’s concert last time, to organise the musical rendez-vous again, which is a real bonus for the World Cup races. The second edition will take place on Saturday 23 February 2019 from 19.00 onwards, in the same place, but with different musicians.

On one hand, you’ll find the best Upper Valais accordionist quartet, the Genderbüebu, who wonderfully link together authentic popular music and irresistable « party » music, inspiring the audience every time they perform. On the other hand, there’ll be Die Jungen Zillertaler, a really well-known international group, who manage to unite everyone from 5 to 100 years old with their characteristic JUZI-Sound. There is nothing more moving than bringing the different generations together to celebrate.

25 years on the stage and 35 shows on the Stadl!

Die Jungen Zillertaler are made up of Markus Unterladstätter, Daniel Prantl and Michael Ringler, and 2019 is a special year for them. The group, which has been incredibly successful in Europe, will in fact be celebrating its 25th anniversary. The JUZI perform over 150 concerts per year, and are frequently invited onto numerous TV shows, such as the famous Musikantenstadl, where they have already performed as guests 35 times! Their albums have won 12 gold and 2 platinum discs. The peak of this « JUZIjubilee » year will be the JUZIopenair, the 20^th Tyrol Open-Air, which is held between 15 and 18 August 2019 in Strass im Zillertal, their homeland. As they are big ski fans, the JUZI are delighted to be visiting Crans-Montana. It’s quite possible that they will also be following the Ladies’ Alpine Combined World Cup races on Sunday 24 February. But before that, they’ll be setting the atmosphere on fire on the Saturday night, 23 February 2019, at « Le Régent » tennis centre. JUZI – the absolute emperors of popular music celebrations in the Alps. Pleasure and joy, a perfect harmony of music and celebration.

A friendship between Kili, Simi, Rabi and Gurti – the Genderbüebu

The Genderbüebu quartet of accordionists is made up of brothers Kilian and Simon Schnydrig, Raban Pfammatter and Marco Gurten. These four musicians have known each other since childhood. A great friendship has developed during these many years of playing music together. This is clear when we hear their melodies, and it has also inspired the name of their new CD « Freundschaft » (Friendship), which was launched very successfully last spring. The Genderbüebu are followed by an ever-growing fan base. Their visit to Crans-Montana, playing before and after the Die Jungen Zillertaler concert, is a well-deserved symbolic reward, and promises to be a great moment for their loyal fans.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION: IT WILL BE POSSIBLE TO PURCHASE TICKETS FOR THIS GREAT POPULAR MUSIC FESTIVAL WITH DIE JUNGEN ZILLERTALER AND GENDERBÜEBU IN CRANS-MONTANA ONLINE AND AT CRANS-MONTANA TOURISM FROM TUESDAY 20 NOVEMBER 2018. IT IS ADVISABLE TO PURCHASE YOUR TICKET AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

The same as every year, two weeks before the Audi FIS World Cup start in Sölden/ AUT (27 and 28 October), the organisers of the Crans-Montana Ladies’ World Cup races have opened online ticket sales for the « Crans-Montana » (south) and « Fan Clubs » (east) grandstands. This is for both race days, the Downhill on Saturday 23 and the Alpined Combined on Sunday 24 February 2019.

The price is CHF 30.00 per race or CHF 50.00 for both days together. Children (age 6-15), members of Swiss-Ski as well as holders of the Valais passport enjoy special deals. Don’t wait too long, book your ticket online now. It’s simple, and the best way. Based on experience, the grandstands fill up very quickly, and are always full on race days.

purchase online

Access to all other sectors in the finish stadium and along the piste, is free.

The Organisation Committee  for the Crans-Montana Alpine ski races is delighted to welcome our dedicated spectators, and promises them great racing and rematches once again on the demanding Mont Lachaux piste, just a few days after the World Championships in Åre/SWE (4 - 17 February).

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For the third time, the Friends of the Crans-Montana World Cup met for a delicious raclette served at « La Bergerie du Cervin » restaurant in Vermala. This very pleasant get together was a perfect success, and a chance to get into the mood, ready for the start of the 2018/9 World Cup in a few days. It will be stopping off in the Valais Haut-Plateau region on 23 and 24 February 2019. On the programme of « our » classic Ladies’ annual event, a Downhill and Alpine Combined (Downhill/Slalom). These races will be preceded by the two European Cup downhill races planned on 16 and 17 February.

Marius Robyr, the charismatic President of the Crans-Montana World Cup Organisation Committee, addressed the FRIENDS with plenty of humour and imagination, and presented the 2019 edition to those gathered, not forgetting the additional programme which will include, amongst other events, a second huge celebration of popular music on the Saturday evening, 23 February, in the tennis centre at Le Régent Congress Centre. You’ll be delighted as there are some great musicians on the programme ! The line-up and ticket sales will be announced shortly. Of course, he didn’t fail to mention the evolution of work on the Crans-Montana/Valais 2025 bid, the logo and Corporate Design having just been successfully unveiled. There was a surprise visit from Nicolas Féraud, president of the commune of Crans-Montana, who came to lend his unfaltering support to the Crans-Montana FIS Alpine Ski World Cup races.  

A woodfire raclette without the sound of an accordian is unimaginable ! Les Amis de Sonville (Nendaz) did a great job of entertaining at the friendly event. The FRIENDS present had the honour of being the first to receive and wear the 2019 Crans-Montana World Cup hat; the colour changes every year. The new look is really nice: dark blue trimmed with an orange edge, with white writing which stands out wonderfully. It will be on sale for CHF 20.00 from 1st December 2018  in the Crans-Montana Tourism and Congress offices.

Whilst walking with his family in the Vermala area, Jean-Claude Biver, the dynamic entrepreneur  watchmaker and manager didn’t for a minute hesitate to join the Friends of the Crans-Montana World Cup, delivering a message full of positivity. We will be noting this phrase : « We can’t advance towards tomorrow without yesterday » !

Would you like to join the FRIENDS OF THE CRANS-MONTANA WORLD CUP, which already numbers some 270 people ? It’s very simple, just fill in the form on our website, in the « Spectators » section. The World Cup committee welcomes all new members with great pleasure.

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Raclette 18

Alpine ski races in Crans-Montana have always been a great success. They started in 1911, with the first downhill in skiing history. Then came the first FIS World Cup race in 1977, the unforgettable

1987 World Championships,  and since 2016, the annual World Cup ladies’ classic. Now an important new chapter is on the horizon, the return of the Alpine World Ski Championships to the Haut-Plateau region.

The Crans-Montana/Valais 2025 bid has to be conducted with energy, emotion and confidence.

On Wednesday 3 October 2018, Marius Robyr, executive director of the Crans-Montana/Valais bid for the organisation of the 2025 Alpine World Ski Championships, had the great pleasure of unveiling the logo for the bid. This took place in the presence of representatives of local authorities, the media and other guests. The logo is a judicious union of the canton of Valais, the destination of Crans-Montana and the FIS International Ski Federation Alpine World Ski Championships. Marius Robyr describes it as dynamic, modern and convincing, a logo which creates strong links and ties.

• The red star represents Valais. It features in the centre of the 2025 figure positioned so that its base represents a stylised mountain. This clearly positions the logo as an Alpine sport logo.
• The sky-blue curve symbolises the energy of alpine ski disciplines. It is a central dynamic element, and features in other colours too, in all Corporate Design use related to the bid.
• The Crans-Montana logo flanked by the Swiss flag clearly marks the centre of the logo. In white on a blue background for maximum impact and contrast. Just below, the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships text in the centre adds the necessary balance.

The design of the new SMC bus– the first model –displays the main elements of the new image for the bid. The common theme; competence, and a passion for competition alpine skiing, uniting the past, present and future.  

The bus sports :

• The impressive panorama of the mountains in Crans-Montana, which is used as a background, symbolising the arena in which the World Championship races take place.
• The logo on a dark blue background,as presented above, referring to the destination of Crans-Montana and to Valais, with the presence of the red star that crowns the logo.
• Commitment, passion and energy for competition skiing are highlighted by red curves which run along the sides of the bus,
• And, alongside the picture of the skier Michelle Gisin, also remind us of ski tracks in the different disciplines in the FIS Ski World Championships – from the downhill to the Super-G, to the technical disciplines.

All of these elements combined lend to the bid the desired character, strength and modernity.

This  friendly meeting about the bid took place at the CMA cable car « Barzettes » car park. In brief addresses, Martial Kamerzin, president of the ACCM (Crans-Montana Association of Communes), Philippe P. Magistretti, director of the CMA cable cars, and Patrick Cretton, director of the SMC (Compagnie de Chemin de Fer et d’Autobus) transport company, declared that they were united in fully supporting the « challenge » of the Crans-Montana/Valais bid for the organisation of the 2025 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships.

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Before the launch of the winter season, the FIS International Ski Federation carries out an annual inspection of every site that organises World Cup races. For the 2019 races in Crans-Montana, this took place on Wednesday 12 September.

On the programme for this 2019 edition in the Haut-Plateau region, Ladies’ European Cup races on 16 and 17 February (two Downhills, preceeded by two training sessions on 14/15.02) and the Ladies’ World Cup on Saturday 23 February (Downhill) and Sunday 24 (Alpine Combined with Downhill/Slalom) as well as two Downhill training sessions on 21 and 22.02.

The inspection was led by the duo (title photo) Atle Skaardal, FIS chief race director Ladies’ World Cup, and Marius Robyr, president of the Crans-Montana Organisation Committee. They were joined by their closest collaborators and representatives from the RTS (Télévision Suisse Romande), the official broadcasters for the Crans-Montana World Cup, the EBU (European Broadcasting Union) and Swiss-Ski.

Particularly careful attention was paid during the visit to the Mont Lachaux piste and its key places, to the position of TV cameras and organisation of the departure and finish zones. Other important points were also addressed, such as piste preparation, the number of machines on site 24h/24, the emergency services, demarcation of "Spectator" zones, the Media services (Main Media Centre at « Le Régent » and the Media Sub-Centre on the roof of the finish area building), photographers’ positions, team accommodation, draws for bibs and public prizegiving, fees and administration. The European Cup races were also on the agenda, in the presence of their new FIS coordinator, Wim Rossel. The meeting was characterised by the close working relationship between all participants throughout an intense yet magnificent day’s work. The FIS representatives provided a few pointers to once again continue to improve the general organisation of this extremely attractive annual Ladies’ Classic.

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Inspection

Since 1997, Swiss-Ski has been successfully running the « House of Switzerland » during each FIS World Ski Championships. This traditional international meeting point for sponsors and partners, athletes and their entourage, media representatives and ski fans is much appreciated, and it’s inconceivable to think of these important meets without it. The top ski nations also all have their own version of it.

A highly valuable international presence for the 2025 Candidature and the classic Women’s World Championships

The role of the « House of Switzerland » is even more important when bidding for the organisation of the World Championships in your own country. Just like the extremely positive partnership between Swiss-Ski and St. Moritz for the bid phase, as well as the 2003 and 2017 World Championships, which were held in this resort in the Grisons.

This honour now passes to Crans-Montana and its 2025 bid. The first part, before the 2020 votes, will take place during the next World Championships in 2019 (4-17.02.) in Åre, Sweden. There is no doubt that this presence on an international scale will also benefit the annual classic Women’s World Cup in Crans-Montana.

Irrespective of the results of the FIS board vote at its congress in June 2020, the Crans-Montana/Valais bid being the main partner of the « House of Switzerland » offers an excellent and unique opportunity on an international level. This partnership with Swiss-Ski allows Crans-Montana and Valais to, amongst other things, include their local produce in the gastronomic selection of this sought-after venue.

A worthwhile partnership

Besides the Crans-Montana/Valais Bid Committee’s main partnership with the « House of Switzerland », Swiss-Ski has secured the support of a main sponsor, four sponsors, two media partners and also a number of service providers for the project. As no existing restaurant in Åre was suitable to be transformed into the 12^th « House of Switzerland », Swiss-Ski decided to build a « mobile » chalet, like the Austrian Ski Federation, to include a restaurant (80 places), a large bar with a stage, and also a kitchen. The approximate area of the building, which will be located on rented land in an excellent area in the centre of Åre, 500 m from the finish stadium, is 25 x 15 metres (see plans below). The three adjacent SRF, RTS and RSI TV studios, where athlete interviews will take place, are a real bonus for the « House of Switzerland ».

According to comments from the Organisation Committee for the St.Moritz World Championships, this partnership with Swiss-Ski is most definitely worth it.