Following the setback, at the end of June during the Plenary Assembly of the ISMF, of what was initially the “The Big Race” project, those in charge of the five most famous ski mountaineering competitions in the world will now establish a new international circuit.
Initially, “The Big Race” was conceived to compensate for the shortcomings that failed to boost ski mountaineering on an international level. The media coverage and the number of nations participating in the World Cup circuit were only the first from the head of a long list. In Salzburg, however, the proposal was nixed by the majority of nations belonging to the International Federation.
The vote decreed the demise of the project, which however did not quash the willpower of the five committees of these “great races”, who were determined to create an internal circuit for team competition. The five organising committees met a few days ago in the Valle d’Aosta to define the general guidelines of this new initiative, which will initially last for two years. The idea behind the entire circuit is to meet the needs of athletes to compete and to safeguard the main values of modern ski mountaineering.
This is the 2011-2012 calendar of “La Grande Course”:
2011 Programme of Events
Pierra Menta (Areches - Beaufort, France ) 17/20 March 2011
Adamello ski-raid (Ponte di Legno - Tonale, Italy) 3 April 2011
Trofeo Mezzalama (Cervinia – Gressoney, Italy) 30 April – 1 May 2011
2012 Programme of Events
Pierra Menta (Areches - Beaufort, France) 15/18 March 2012
Tour du Rutor (Arvier, Italy) 30 March – 1 April 2012
Patrouille des Glacier (Verbier, Switzerland) 25/28 April 2012
Press release:
Fondazione Mezzalama
Comitato Organizzatore Tour du Rutor
Comitato Organizzatore Adamello ski-raid
