US resorts get 2015 World Championships
Friday June 4, 2010 - Email this article to a friend

FIS released the news in a short statement.

'"Beaver Creek/Vail (USA) was elected as the host of the 2015 Alpine World Ski Championships. With 8 votes, Beaver Creek/Vail achieved an absolute majority in the first ballot against Cortina d'Ampezzo (ITA, 4 votes) and St. Moritz (SUI, 3 votes)."

 It was the cue for celebrations to break out. 

The resorts had been the favourites to win as Europe hosted them in 2009 and will be doing so again in 2011 and 2013.

We previewed the announcement here on PlanetSKI earlier this week.

It will be the third FIS World Championships for the resorts, that previously hosted them in 1989 and 1999.

"Vail and Beaver Creek Resorts are honored to be selected as the hosts for the 2015 World Alpine Ski Championships by the International Ski Federation," said Rob Katz, chairman and chief executive officer of Vail Resorts.

"Our resorts and the Vail Valley have demonstrated a meaningful commitment to the sport of ski racing producing the best competitions in the world. We are thrilled to focus international attention on our iconic slopes and community during the winter of 2015."

The resort holds World Cup events on the Birds of Prey course at Beaver Creek. It is one of the most difficult courses on the men's World Cup tour and it is the only men's event held in the U.S.

With the 2015 announcement, Beaver Creek plans to upgrade the Birds of Prey venue, increasing the finish area for the men's events, building a new Red Tail Camp Restaurant and building a new women's speed course which will rival the men's course.

This run also will serve the combined events and the nation's team event during the 2015 Championships.

The women's technical events, including the giant slalom and slalom will be held at Vail which will have a new, dramatic stadium located in the heart of Vail Village. Opening and closing ceremonies also will take place in Vail.

Will perform in front of home crowdOne local resident is especially pleased.

"I'm thrilled that the 2015 Alpine World Championships will take place on my home turf at Vail and Beaver Creek," said Lindsey Vonn, Olympic gold medalist and defending World Cup Overall Champion.

"As a young racer I slipped the race course at Vail during the 1999 Championships and I'm really excited to take on the challenge of a tough new women's course at Beaver Creek and finish in front of a hometown crowd at both venues."

It is also fitting for Vonn who recently had the "International" trail on Vail Mountain renamed in her honor after her successful Olympic and World Cup season.

We reported on it here on PlanetSKI.

Vail has been in the news recently as it has also just bought the US ski web site, OnTheSnow, as we reported here.

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