Winter is Coming With World Cup Racing Good to Go + More Resorts Opening in Europe

14th October 2022

Last modified on October 21st, 2022

This weekend’s GS Races in Austria have been given the go ahead as more resorts have fired up some lifts in the Alps and Scandinavia. Snow making is also underway in the USA with A-Basin set to open this weekend. UPDATED

A-BASIN IS OPENING THIS SUNDAY, OCTOBER 23! Lift starts turning at 8:30 AM and will run until 4 PM.
Head over to our website for all the details!https://t.co/u5XgfNDwyh
We are STOKED to welcome you to The Legend’s 76th season!#LegendaryForAReason #ABasin #LongestSeasonInColorado pic.twitter.com/8bqTDC8Eei
— Arapahoe Basin (@Arapahoe_Basin) October 21, 2022

Snowy Scenes in the Alps as Winter Edges Ever Closer

Engleberg in Switzerland is the latest resort to open its glacier slopes for some autumn skiing and snowboarding.

Several glacier resorts in Austria are currently open and it’s looking rather tasty.

Here is the current situation across the Alps with resorts that have glacier areas open:

Austria:

Hintertux, Soelden, Pitztal, Stubai, Kitzsteinhorn & Kaunertal.

France:

None.

Italy:

Cervinia, Passo Stelvio & Val Senales.

Switzerland:

Zermatt, Engleberg & Saas Fee.

In Scandinavia, Ruka and Levi have some limited terrain open.

First World Cup Ski Race of the Season Gets the Go Ahead

The FIS Race Directors of Soelden , Markus Mayr and Janez Hladnik, have given the green light for the World Cup opening races on the 22nd and 23rd of October.

The competition slope is in good condition and is ready to host some of the best skiers in the world.

The inspection of the course took place in the presence of Mario Reiter (ÖSV), the Chief of Race Isidor Grüner, and the Race Director, Rainer Gstrein.

ÖSV Sponsoring Division Manager, Mario Reiter, said “What the Bergbahnen Sölden and the Organisers have achieved in the slope is sensational.

“From today’s point of view, everything is perfectly prepared, and as the forecasts currently stand, it will be a great race weekend.”

AUDI FIS Ski World Cup Sölden program:

Women’s Giant Slalom – Saturday 22 October 2022 (1st run at 10.00 CET / 2nd run at 13:05 CET

Men’s Giant Slalom – Sunday 23 October 2022 (1st run at 10.00 CET / 2nd run at 13:00 CET)

Racers have been preparing in the glacier resorts of Europe.

More Ski Areas Open in Europe

Ruka and Levi in Finland are the latest resorts to open some slopes.

How’s your command of the Finnish language?

We reported on resort openings in this earlier article on PlanetSKI:

Another glacier area in Austria opens + skiing starts in Finland

We have been following the situation in the past few weeks on PlanetSKI as glacier ski areas open:

However it is not such good news for Les2Alpes as the first Snowboard Cross and Ski Cross World Cup Race is Called off.

They were was to have taken place in Les2Alpes 28th-30th October and 4th-5th November but won’t happen due to a lack of snow.

The Snowboard Cross has been moved to 02nd-03rd December, leaving the organisers with five weeks time to produce the snow and get the venue ready.

The Ski Cross competition in Les2Alpes has been cancelled, and therefore Val Thorens scheduled for 07th-09th December will be the season opening race for the ski cross circuit.