Cortina sNOw DIFFERENCE. This is the slogan that will adorn the bibs of athletes competing on the Olympia delle Tofane during the Women’s Audi FIS Alpine Ski World Cup and the FIS Para Alpine Ski World Cup from January to February. A word pun that aims to be not just a slogan but a tangible representation of how Cortina d’Ampezzo, hosting both the Olympics and Paralympics in 2026, is becoming increasingly inclusive
No difference on the snow, or if you prefer, snow without differences. A claim, a slogan, a hope that the Fondazione Cortina “launches” on the International Day of Persons with Disabilities on December 3, and that will become a reality from January 26 to February 2. Two events, organized by Fondazione Cortina, that will take place seamlessly on the same track, the Olympia delle Tofane, one of the most iconic slopes in world skiing.
The Cortina Women’s Alpine Ski World Cup boasts a decades-long tradition: the event on Olympia delle Tofane on January 26 2024, will be the one-hundredth race of the Women’s World Cup in Ampezzo. A number, 100, that attests to the bond between the World Cup and Cortina. The first-ever World Cup race on Olympia was in the 1974-1975 racing season. It was on December 12 1974, that a downhill race took place at the foot of the Tofane; the one who outshone all competitors was not just any athlete, but one of the most prominent figures in skiing history, Anne Marie Moser – Pröll, the Austrian who in her career secured an Olympic gold and two silvers, five golds, two silvers, and two bronzes at the World Championships, six overall World Cup titles, seven downhill titles, and three giant slalom titles, along with sixty-two victories in the World Cup. Numbers that, like the 100th race, leave an impression.
Paralympic skiing in Cortina, on the other hand, is a recent discovery. It debuted at the foot of the Tofane in the 2022-2023 winter season with the Snowboardcross World Cup on the San Zan track in Socrepes, and in mid-March with the finals of the Alpine Ski World Cup on the Olympia. After making its debut last year, Fondazione Cortina is now replicating, with commitment and enthusiasm drawn from the positive experience of the past months.
Fondazione Cortina is paying close attention to the design of the stadium at the Rumerlo Finish Area, aiming to ensure full usability of spaces and services for everyone, regardless of age, physical condition, or any special needs. In particular, for wheelchair users, a dedicated transport system will be provided, with the possibility of using the standing area through paths equipped with special plastic platforms.
The Cortina Audi FIS Ski World Cup 2024 races will take place from Friday, January 26, to Sunday, January 28: on Friday, there will be a Downhill race, on Saturday, another Downhill, and on Sunday, a Super-G. As for the FIS Para Alpine Ski World Cup, there will be two Super-G races (January 30 and 31) and two Slalom races (February 1 and 2).
Tickets for the Audi FIS Cortina Ski World Cup 2024 can be purchased on the website www.cortinaskiworldcup.com. Various participation options are available: Parterre, Tribune and the new Sparkling Corner. In addition to Tofana Lounge and the World Cup Experience.
