At the 1987 World Cup, the Swiss skiing stars were in a gold rush, Pirmin Zurbriggen, Erika Hess and their teammates winning eight titles. In four years’ time, i.e. in 2027, there will be a revival in Crans-Montana – the World Cup will once again take place on the Valais high plateau. The budget is 75 million and the event will be the largest sporting event in the history of the canton.
What can you look forward to? What are the challenges? What will be different from last time in Courchevel/Méribel? Blick lists six crucial points.
1
CEO gone – is défago working now?
A few days ago Caroline Kuyper resigned her position as CEO of the 2027 World Cup. The WK OK was very angry about the time of the report, Swiss-Ski was surprised in any case. “We had different philosophies. It is better to end the collaboration immediately than later,” said Urs Lehmann, president of the association. Kuyper’s departure could well be a stroke of luck. Because: Didier Défago is seen as a possible successor. A prominent name, a Walliser , a man with deep roots in the region. If you ask around Crans-Montana, many people dream of such an integration figure. “We are in talks, Didier is a valid candidate,” said Lehmann.
2
Less champagne, more beer
Crans-Montana is not a cheap place. But: compared to the sometimes exorbitant prices in Courchevel/Méribel, the 2027 World Cup will be considerably cheaper for the fans. World Cup honorary president Hugo Steinegger promises: “With us, a Coca-Cola costs not ten but five francs. And a pizza is also available for 18 francs.” He is convinced that there will be significantly more fan clubs.
3
Too few luxury hotels
In Crans-Montana there are 48 hotels (2,600 beds), ten group accommodations (900 beds) and 2,000 rentable chalets and apartments (12,500 beds). An additional 3,200 beds will be added within a radius of 30 kilometres. However, there is one problem: there are currently too few luxury hotels! These are mainly used for sponsors, FIS representatives and teams. “That’s right,” Steinegger confirms, “we’d love to have two or three more five-star hotels.” One or two hotels will be added by 2026, “but it won’t be like Courchevel or Méribel,” says Steinegger.
4
Closer than you think
Those traveling by public transport from Bern to Crans-Montana will need two hours. It is less than three and a half hours from Zurich. In other words, you don’t necessarily have to stay overnight to attend a match, as is often the case in Méribel/Courchevel. Trains, buses, funiculars – the transport concept worked well in 1987 and should be strong again in 2027.
5
Sun slope and snow problem
We used to have real winters! In fact, the climate has changed in recent decades, it has become warmer. A significant part of the Mont Lachaux (women’s) and Nationale (men’s) World Cup slopes is completely in the sun. A problem? After several postponements (due to fog), Saturday’s downhill World Cup was too soft for a race. “It has been a long time since we had so little snow and such high temperatures. But we have a lot of know-how when it comes to preparing the routes,” Steinegger assures.
6
Too many viewers?
In Courchevel/Méribel there were always big holes in the stands, without the blatant addition of the loudspeakers many a race would have been a desolate one. That shouldn’t exist in Crans-Montana. Because: the finish stadium is a natural basin. There must be room for 14,000 spectators in the stands (Méribel: 3,500 spectators), and 6,000 spectators are expected on the side of the track. However, most of the finish stadium has yet to be built and objections are imminent.
Still, Steinegger says: “It is much better than in Courchevel/Méribel because we only have one arrival for men and women. And the Medal Plaza in the middle of the city near the ice rink will be transformed into a huge festival hut. We are not afraid not to enough spectators, we are more concerned about how to cope with the influx of fans,” said Hugo Steinegger. During the 14 days of the World Cup football, the OC expected about 210,000 spectators.
Source : Blick
I’m Emma Jack, a news website author at 24 News Reporters. I have been in the industry for over five years and it has been an incredible journey so far. I specialize in sports reporting and am highly knowledgeable about the latest trends and developments in this field.
