The 2024-2025 Alpine Ski World Cup will start again on Saturday, October 26 in Soelden with the Women's Giant Slalom race.
Since the 2000-2001 season, the Women's and Men's Alpine Ski World Cup has traditionally been held on the Rettenbach Glacier in Soelden.
Soelden Alpine Ski World Cup Racecourse
To reach the start of the World Cup racecourse by lift you must take the Schwarze Schneid Bahn I + II, an 8-passenger Gondola lift (mono cable circulating ropeway) built in 2003. In less than 7 minutes you move from the Base station (2.673 m.) to the Top station located at 3250 meters a.s.l. The start of the course (blue piste numbers 33 and 32) is easy and relatively flat (Gletschertisch) until you reach the start of the big impressive steep wall, the "Eisfall" (black piste number 31, with the steepest section of 65%).
The final part (Elefantentränke) of the track is flat again, and it is at that point where the race is often decided.
To reach the start of the World Cup racecourse by lift you must take the Schwarze Schneid Bahn I + II, an 8-passenger Gondola lift (mono cable circulating ropeway) built in 2003. In less than 7 minutes you move from the Base station (2.673 m.) to the Top station located at 3250 meters a.s.l. The start of the course (blue piste numbers 33 and 32) is easy and relatively flat (Gletschertisch) until you reach the start of the big impressive steep wall, the "Eisfall" (black piste number 31, with the steepest section of 65%).
The final part (Elefantentränke) of the track is flat again, and it is at that point where the race is often decided.
Not without reason, the Giant Slalom of Sölden is one of the toughest and most technical races on the FIS Alpine Ski World Cup calendar.
Facts Race Course:
Altitude at the start: 3,038 m
Altitude at the finish line: 2,668 m
Vertical drop: 370 m
Length of race track: 1198 m
Lowest gradient: 15.5 %
Steepest section: 68%
Average gradient: 33,1%
Ski racing speed: 65 – 80 km/h
Gates: 41–56, depending on the race track
Race Course Sections
Start to Gletschertisch via Rettenbachjoch section 232 Meter
Gletschertisch to Gletscherkante (edge) 183 Meter
Length Eisfall (icefall) 370 Meter
Length Gletscherzunge (glacier tongue) 245 Meter
Length Elefantentränke (elephant trough) 168 M
Women's Giant Slalom Race (2023):
Turns: 47
Gates: 48
Men's Giant Slalom Race (2022):
Turns: 44 - 45
Gates: 46 - 47
The Alpine Ski World Cup Season Opener Soelden races will be held on 26 and 27 October.
Race Program:
Saturday, 26.10.2024
10:00 CET 1st run Women‘s Giant Slalom
13:00 CET 2nd run Women‘s Giant Slalom
Sunday, 27.10.2024
10:00 CET 1st run Men‘s Giant Slalom
13:00 CET 2nd run Men‘s Giant Slalom
Soelden is a modern and popular ski resort in the Ötztal valley of Tirol, Austria. The main village of Sölden is located at 1,368 meters above sea level.
Soelden offers the marvelous BIG 3, Austria's only ski area with 3 mountains higher than 3,000 meters accessible by lifts. The ski area has 144 kilometers of slopes and 31 ski lifts. From November through May, thanks to the ski area's high-Alpine location (1,350 - 3,250 m) and the modern snowmaking system (covering all slopes lower than 2,200 m) snow is guaranteed in Sölden.
With a surface covering more than 20 km² and 34.5 km of pistes, Soelden's glacier ski area ranks among the largest in Tirol and all of Austria. Located between 2675 and 3250 meters, the scenic mountain ski areas of Rettenbach and Tiefenbachferner are connected by a ski tunnel.
Eight modern mountain lifts take skiers up the glacier ski mountains. The base lift stations at the Rettenbach and Tiefenbach Glaciers can be also easily reached by car or bus via the highest Panoramic Road in the Eastern Alps.
On spectacular bends and steep ascents, you will quickly gain altitude on this connecting toll road (free of charge with a valid ski pass). An average gradient of 11% awaits drivers on the 13 km-long route to Rettenbach Glacier. If you also want to visit Tiefenbach Glacier you have to cross the mountain through Europe's highest road tunnel (1,8 km), passing also the highest point of the glacier road (2830 m).
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