The skiing domain of Grandvalira Andorra, were the ski area of Soldeu El Tarter is located, has hosted several top-level sporting events in recent years including last year's Finals.
For several years, Andorra has been hosting Alpine Skiing competitions. Andorra was the venue for the First Alpine Skiing European Cup on March 1974 at Pas de la Casa. The ski resort hosted again the European Cup the following year. After a few years, on the 1990-1991 winter season, the competition returned to Pas de la Casa to host two Slalom events. Since 2003 Andorra became a main venue of the European Cup Circuit.
Following the success of the 2012Â and 2016Â Alpine Ski World Cup, the 2019Â and 2023 World Cup Finals, and the 2022Â European Cup Finals, Soldeu El Tarter, the largest ski area in the Pyrenees, returned to the Alpine Ski scene with the hosting of two Women's World Cup races next weekend.
Soldeu (AD)
February 10th Giant Slalom / Women 1st run 10:30 / 2nd run 13:30 CET
February 11th Slalom / Women 1st run 10:30 / 2nd run 13:30 CET
Giant Slalom
Start: 2265 m
Finish: 1837 m
Drop: 428 m
Length: 1242 m
Max Gradient: 65%
Min Gradient: 17%
Average Gradient: 37%
Slalom
Start: 2047 m
Finish: 1837 m
Drop: 210 m
Length: 609 m
Max Gradient: 65%
Min Gradient: 17%
Average Gradient: 37%
Grandvalira is located in the northeast of the Principality of Andorra, in the towns of Encamp and Canillo.
In October 2003, SAETDE and ENSISA's general directorates, operating companies of Pas de la Casa-Grau Roig (founded in 1956, when Francesc Viladomat installed the first ski lift at the top of the Coll Blanc in Pas de la Casa) and Soldeu-El Tarter (founded in 1964), announced an expected merger. The union of the Pas de la Casa-Grau Roig ski resorts led to the creation of the largest station in the Pyrenees and one of the largest in Europe, with 210 kilometres of slopes, a total of 128 slopes of all levels and a single ski pass to enjoy the entire ski domain. Since 2011, the ski resort offers skiers a 9.3 km slope, the longest slope of the Pyrenees.
The ski domain can be accessed from six different areas: Encamp (using the Funicamp), Canillo, El Tarter, Soldeu, Grau Roig and Pas de la Casa.
Grandvalira Resorts Andorra is the largest, most modern skiable area in the Pyrenees and one of the largest in Europe, with a total of 303 km of slopes. The company manages all the Andorran ski resorts: Ordino ArcalÃs, Pal Arinsal, and Grandvalira.
The inclusion of Ordino ArcalÃs in 2018, and Pal Arinsal in 2022, created a nationwide project whose aim is to further strengthen the presence of Andorra in the skiing world.
With an economic impact of over 420 million euros (2017) Grandvalira Resorts Andorra represents 17% of the gross domestic product of the Principality of Andorra.
Giant Slalom Preview
Lara Gut-Behrami shined in Kronplatz to earn her fifth win of the season, her third one in Giant Slalom. She has won the first two Giant Slaloms of the season in Sölden and Killington. The 32-year-old skier from Ticino became the first Swiss woman to win back-to-back World Cup Giant Slalom races since Sonja Nef did it in 2001. Gut-Behrami became the third woman to claim at least one World Cup win in 13 different seasons, after Renate Götschl (14), and Lindsey Vonn (13).
She celebrated in Kronplatz her 42nd win in the Alpine Ski World Cup. It's her 84th podium in the World Cup, 23 of them were in Giant Slalom.
With her 42nd World Cup victory, Gut-Behrami has tied Sweden's ski legend Anja Pärson in the women's best list in 6th place. From a Swiss perspective, only Vreni Schneider (55 victories) has won more times in the World Cup.
It's her eighth win in the Giant Slalom discipline. She finished in the Top-10 in 26 of the last 28 World Cup Giant Slaloms. She made it to the podium 11 times and won 4 times in the last 28 World Cup Giant Slaloms.
After Kronplatz's win, Gut-Behrami increases her lead in the Giant World Cup standings over Federica Brignone to 85 points and threatens Shiffrin's lead in the Overall World Cup. She is now only 95 points behind.
Gut-Behrami recorded one World Cup win in Soldeu, a Super-G on March 16, 2023. Last season at the Finals in Soldeu she finished in 4th place in the Giant Slalom event.
Sara Hector and Alice Robinson tied for second place in the latest World Cup Giant Slalom in Kronplatz. It was the first time two women shared second place in a women's World Cup Giant Slalom since Lara Gut-Behrami and Nina Haver-Løseth did so behind Eva-Maria Brem in Courchevel in December 2015.
Sara Hector returned in Jasna to the top of the podium in Giant Slalom after setting the best time on both runs.
Hector can claim multiple World Cup Giant Slalom wins in a season for the second time, after three wins in 2021-2022.
In Kronplatz she finished in second place and achieved her third Giant Slalom podium of the season.
In the 2020-2021 winter season an injury deprived her of becoming the second Swedish winner of the Women's Giant Slalom Crystal Globe, after Anja Pärson (2002-2003, 2003-2004, 2005-2006).
Hector won the Olympic Giant Slalom gold in Beijing.
In Kronplatz, Alice Robinson finished for a third time on the podium this season. She has won 3 Giant Slalom events in the Alpine Ski World Cup and was in the podium eight times. She can join fellow countrywomen Claudia Riegler on a record four wins among women representing Oceania. She can surpass Riegler and Annelise Coberger (both 8) on most podium finishes.
Federica Brignone won the two Giant Slaloms held in Tremblant (December 2 and 3). She became the oldest woman to win a World Cup Giant Slalom race. The Italian skier achieved 10 of her 24 World Cup victories in Giant Slalom. Also, 33 of her 62 podiums came in the same discipline.
Federica Brignone is joint-second alongside Gustav Thöni (both 24) for most World Cup wins by an Italian alpine skier, behind only Alberto Tomba (50).
The second of Brignone's 24 World Cup wins came in Soldeu, in a Super-G on February 27, 2016.
Italian women won at least one World Cup Giant Slalom event in each of the last seven seasons (2015-2016 to 2021-2022).
Back in 2020, Federica Brignone Grabs the Overall, Giant Slalom, and Alpine Combined Globes. Brignone can be proud to be the first Italian woman to conquer the Overall Globe. Brignone joined the Italian-Overall club composed of Piero Gros, Gustav Thoeni, and Alberto Tomba on the Men's field.
Marta Bassino finished last season in third place in the Giant Slalom standings. She celebrated her first career World Cup podium, a third place, in the Giant Slalom in Sölden on 22 October 2016.
In 2021Bassino won the discipline title with the Italian emerging as the dominant force. Bassino became the fourth Italian skier to win the Giant Slalom Crystal Globe after Deborah Compagnoni did it in 1997, Denise Karbon in 2008, and Federica Brignone in 2020.
She was on the podium 28 times in the World Cup, 20 of them in Giant Slalom. She won six races all in Giant Slalom.
Ragnhild Mowinckel aims to be the first Norwegian woman to win a Giant Slalom World Cup since her own victory in Ofterschwang on March 9, 2018. The other Norwegian women to have won World Cup Giant Slaloms are Andrine Flemmen (3) and Stina Hofgard Nilsen (1).
At the Finals in Soldeu Mikaela Shiffrin ended a memorable winter with her 14th World Cup win of the season. She won the last Giant Slalom ahead of Thea Louise Stjernesund and Valerie Grenier.
Shiffrin won two out of the three World Cup giant slalom events that have been held in Soldeu (2019, 2023).
On January 21, 2024, in Jasná, Mikaela Shiffrin scored her 95th World Cup victory. She finished on the podium 150 times in 267 Alpine Ski World Cup starts. Only Ingemar Stenmark (155), has claimed more podiums in the World Cup than Mikaela Shiffrin. The 28-year-old US skier has a record of 22 Giant Slalom wins.
Slalom Preview
With only three Slalom events to race, Mikaela Shiffrin can claim this season's Slalom Crystal Globe, even if she won't compete in Soldeu. Shiffrin (630) leads Petra Vlhová (out for the rest of the season) by 125 points and has an advantage of 228 points on Lena Dürr (402).
Shiffrin could claim her 16th Crystal Globe, and a record-extending eighth in the women's Slalom. She can equal the record for most Crystal Globes in a specific discipline: eight by Ingemar Stenmark (Slalom and Giant Slalom) and Lindsey Vonn (downhill). Marcel Hirscher won the Men's Overall World Cup Crystal Globe eight times.
The 28-year-old US skier has a record of 58 Giant Slalom wins.
If Shiffrin participates in Soldeu and win, she can become the first woman to win three consecutive Slalom races in the World Cup since Petra Vlhová won three in a row in December 2021-January 2022.
The eight Women's World Cup Slalom races this season were won by Mikaela Shiffrin (5) and Petra Vlhová (3). Each of the last 10 women's World Cup slalom events were either won by Mikaela Shiffrin (6) or Petra Vlhová (4). This streak began after a victory by Lena Dürr in Špindleruv Mlýn on January 29, 2023.
Lena Dürr Lena Dürr finished on the podium for the fourth time this season in Kranjska Gora. It was her twelve podium in the World Cup, her eighth one in Slalom. She finished in second place in Lienz, and second and third respectively in the two Slaloms held in Levi.
The 32-year-old German skier achieved her first Slalom World Cup victory last season in Špindlerův Mlýn on January 29, 2023.
Dürr won the bronze medal in the Slalom at the 2023 Alpine World Ski Championships in Méribel.
Dürr finished in third place in Flachau in 2023.
Anna Swenn-Larsson finished fifth in the Slalom standings last season. Her best Slalom standings finish was a fourth place in 2018-2019.
Swenn-Larsson shared the first place with Holdener at the Slalom event held in Killington last season. At the age of 31, the Swede became the oldest debut winner in a World Cup event.
Anna Swenn-Larsson had achieved ten Slalom podiums in the Alpine Ski World Cup.
Leona Popovic finished second in Levi. It was her second Alpine Ski World Cup podium.
Last season, Zrinka Ljutic (3rd in Špindlerův Mlýn) and Leona Popovic (2nd in Soldeu) recorded the first Slalom podiums for Croatia in the Women's World Cup since Ana Jelusic in 2007.
The 19-year-old Croatian rising star Zrinka Ljutic finished in second place 0.14 seconds behind Shiffrin in Jasna. It's her second podium in the Alpine Ski World Cup. On January 29, 2023, she finished in third place in Špindleruv Mlýn.
Janica Kostelic (30), Ivica Kostelic (26), and Filip Zubcic (3) are the only three Croatian skiers to have won a race in the Alpine Ski World Cup.
Laurence St-Germain became World Champion in the Slalom at the 47th Alpine World Ski Championships in Meribel on February 18. She left the US favorite Mikaela Shiffrin behind by 0.57 seconds. Bronze went to German Lena Duerr (+0.69). For the second time, a Canadian won the world title in Slalom. Anne Heggtveit achieved this feat in 1960 in Squaw Valley.
St-Germain's best result in a World Cup Slalom event was fifth place in Ã…re on March 11, three weeks after becoming a world champion.
Michelle Gisin celebrated in Lienz her first Top-3 of the season and returned to the World Cup podium after nine months. Her last podium was in the Super-G in Courchevel-Méribel on March 17, 2023. It was her eighth podium in Slalom in the Alpine Ski World Cup, and the third she has achieved in Lienz.
Paula Moltzan hopes to become the first USA woman not named Shiffrin or Vonn to win a World Cup event since Alice Mckennis in a Downhill on January 12, 2013, in St. Anton am Arlberg.
Katharina Liensberger returned in Levi to a World Cup Podium. The 26-year-old from Vorarlberg surprised the audience with two consistent runs. Before Levi, the last time she finished in the Top-3 was in March 2022, when she won the Slalom in Åre.
The winner of the 2021 Slalom Crystal Globe and World Champion in Cortina, faced a highly challenging 2022-2023 season, finishing in the Slalom Top-10 just twice.
Sara Hector's third position in the Night Slalom in Flachau marks her first podium in this discipline in the Alpine Ski World Cup.
Latvia's Dzenifera Germane became the Women's Junior World Champion in Slalom in Avoriaz (France) on February 3, 2024. Germane finished eighth in each of the last two Women's World Cup Slalom races, in Flachau and Jasná. These two eight places are her best career World Cup results.
Camille Rast finished 4th (Kranjska Gora), 6th (Flachau), and 4th (Jasna) in her last three World Cup Slalom participations. Rast will look in Soldeu to achieve her first career World Cup podium finish.