Press release -
SkiStar Åre: Åre to host the Alpine World Ski Championships in 2019
On 5 June 2014 at the International Ski Federation, FIS, congress in Barcelona, Swedish resort Åre was elected to host the 2019 Alpine World Ski Championships. Åre, most recently hosting the WSC in 2007 was elected with the narrowest possible margin: 9 votes against 8 for the sole competitor, Italian Cortina d’Ampezzo. The 17 delegates of the FIS Council elected Årefollowing a week of presentations and discussions with representation for the candidate committee in place.
- We came here with the goal of bringing the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships to Sweden and Åre, so it obviously feels unbelievably great that our work has been rewarded with the trust of the ski world. We knew that it would be a tight race between us and Cortina, so to win in this way is fantastic. This decision provides a boost for our entire community and additional motivation for the Team 2019 of youngsters who will be fighting for medals at the next Åre Worlds. The entire Swedish ski nation, Åre and our organisation are enthused about this news, as are all of us celebrating here in Barcelona tonight, said an overjoyed Niklas Carlsson, Secretary General of the Swedish Ski Association.
The 17 FIS Council delegates voted by ballot and the results were presented on Thursday evening at the Hotel Rey Juan Carlos 1.
- We have long traditions in arranging first-rate FIS Alpine World Cup competitions and we hosted the highly successful World Championships in 2007. The ambition for us and the ski area in Åre has been continuous development, and the rate of improvements will gain momentum now that we have won the Alpine Worlds. We continue to implement our planned projects and celebrate the victory before going back to the drawing board to see how as the host resort we can go – as we expressed in our presentation - from good to great! The first measures for the expansion of the existing arena in the VM area will be under way this autumn, says Niclas Sjögren Berg, Head of Destination Skistar Åre/Vemdalen.
- In my role as a member of FIS Council, as the CEO of Skistar and the Chairman of the Swedish Ski Association I consider this World Championship decision as a great victory from all aspects. I am incredibly happy and relieved at the outcome. Being a member of the team where we have worked strategically and resolutely to convince the other 16 Council members about Åre being the most obvious host fort the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships in 2019 feels just great, comments Mats Årjes, Member of FIS Council, the International Ski Federation.
Caption: Niklas Carlsson, Mats Årjes, Niclas Sjögren Berg, photo Fredrik Thulin.
For more information
please contact:
Niklas Carlsson, Secretary General, the Swedish Ski Association,
+ 46-(0)70-370 01 38
Niclas Sjögren Berg, Head of Destination Skistar Åre/Vemdalen, +46-(0)70-633 90
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The SkiStar AB (publ) B shares are listed on the Nasdaq OMX Mid Cap Stockholm; the group owns and operates the ski resorts at the alpine skiing destinations Sälen, Åre and Vemdalen in Sweden together with Hemsedal and Trysil in Norway as well as Hammarbybacken in Stockholm. The market share in Sweden amounts to 49%, in Norway 28% and overall in Scandinavia 39%. The group’s core business is alpine skiing with the guests’ experience in focus. The list of other activities includes accommodation agency, ski schools and ski rentals.
