Kvitfjell (NOR)
March 3rd Super-G / Women
March 4th Downhill / Women
March 5th Super-G / Women
For the first time in history a Women's World Cup event will take place in Kvitfjel. Two Super-Gs on Friday and Sunday, and a Downhill on Saturday, will take place in Kvitfjell on the Olympic race courses.
Kvitfjell is a regular stop on the World Cup circuit since March 1993, hosting men's speed events late in the season. The Downhill racecourse, the challenging Olympiabakken, was designed by Bernhard Russi for the 1994 Lillehammer Winter Games.
Kvitfjell was the Olympic arena for Downhill and Super-G for Women and Men. The Downhill piste was by many experts characterised as one of the world’s most challenging. Downhill is skiing’s “Formula 1”, and a demanding piste in this discipline was important when applying to host the Games. Lillehammer’s application specified that the Downhill event would be held on a new piste, and after Lillehammer was chosen to host the Winter Games, the final location was decided in close cooperation with FIS advisor Bernhard Russi. The Men's Downhill piste had a length of 3007 metres and fall of 837 metres. The start area was 1025 metres above sea level, and the finish area was 187 metres above sea level. The piste had several spectacular sections with 70-meter jumps and directional changes of up to 80-90 degrees. The maximum slope was 67%, and skiers often reached speeds of over 130 km/h at the finishing area.
Katja Seizinger of Germany won the Women's Downhill and Diann Roffe Steinrotter of the U.S. took gold in the Super-G at the 1994 Lillehammer Winter Games.
Kvitfjell is a ski resort in the municipality of Ringebu, Norway, 58 kilometres north of Lillehammer. Kvitfjell was built for the 1994 Lillehammer Olympic Winter Games, and it is probably best known for hosting the Alpine speed events (Downhill and Super-G). The technical alpine events of the Olympics (Giant Slalom and Slalom) were held at Hafjell. Since Lillehammer Olympic Winter Games, it has become one of the best and most modern ski resorts in Northern Europe. Kvitfjell is located just 2.5 hours north of the Oslo Airport.
The Kvitfjell Alpine facilities were opened to the public in December 1991. After the Winter Games the resort has developed tremendously. Now the facility extends over 3 mountain sides.
On Friday 3 March at 18.00 - 22.00 a party is organized to celebrate the 30 years of the World Cup at Kvitfjell.