FIS confirms Vail to host Nations Team Event during 2015 World Alpine Ski Championships

Historic Golden Peak on Vail Mountain will host the Nations Team Event during the 2015 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships, International Ski Federation (FIS) officials announced Wednesday. The head-to-head competition was confirmed as FIS officials Guenter Hujara and Helmuth Schmalzl visited a still snowy Vail.

Scheduled from February 3-15, the 2015 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships are expected to showcase athletes from over 70 nations to an international television audience approaching 750 million people.

"Golden Peak will be a great venue for the Nations Team event during the 2015 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships," said Hujara. "The spectators will be able to see the entire course from the finish and it will be a fantastic promotion for the sport."In addition to the Nations Team event, Golden Peak will also be the site of the men's slalom and giant slalom qualification races, as well as the World Championships Opening Ceremonies and nightly entertainment.

"We are pleased to finalize our competition venues with this decision," said Ceil Folz, President of the Vail Valley Foundation and the 2015 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships Organizing Committee. "Vail has been a major force in ski racing since opening its doors to the world and it is only fitting that they continue that role in 2015."

With the 10 individual men's and women's medal competitions already slated for Beaver Creek, the decision maintains a Vail ski racing legacy dating back to opening of the resort in 1962. The decision is a result positive coordination with the Vail Town Council, European Broadcasting Union (EBU), Tridem Sports and the FIS.

"Vail has a long and proud legacy in ski racing dating back to the first season of the FIS World Cup," said U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association President and CEO Bill Marolt, who is also a vice president of the FIS. "The Team Event has proven to be very popular with spectators and television showcasing the stars of each nation in a head-to-head format."

The Nations Team event features a March Madness style parallel giant slalom format, with four-person teams from the world's top ski racing nations. The winning teams advance through a bracket format, with the final four nations battling for the gold, silver and bronze World Championship medals.

"Golden Peak is a terrific venue for the Nations Team event," said Folz. "The hill is perfect for a dual giant slalom and we can easily adapt the current Opening Ceremonies stadium plan and broadcast configuration to accommodate the racing. In addition, Golden Peak will be a great venue for spectators, no matter whether it is for competition or celebration."

Vail hosted the 1989 World Championship, the last time the marquee event was in North America, and was part of the inaugural World Cup season in 1967. Nearby Beaver Creek has been home of the annual Audi Birds of Prey races, a headlining stop on the men's World Cup tour for the past eight seasons after originally hosting men's competition in 1988.

For additional information on the 2015 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships, visit www.vailbeavercreek2015.com.

	24hr snow	mid dpth	snow cond.
A-Basin	n/a	n/a
Aspen	n/a	n/a	closed
BC	n/a	n/a	closed
Breckenridge	n/a	n/a	closed
Buttermilk	n/a	n/a	closed
Copper	n/a	n/a	closed
Crest. Butte	n/a	n/a	closed
Eldora	n/a	n/a	closed
Heavenly	n/a	n/a	closed
Highlands	n/a	n/a
Howelsen	n/a	n/a	closed
Keystone	n/a	n/a	closed
Kirkwood	n/a	n/a	closed
Loveland	n/a	n/a
Monarch	n/a	n/a	closed
Northstar	n/a	n/a	closed
Powderhorn	n/a	n/a	closed
Purgatory	n/a	n/a	closed
Silverton	n/a	n/a	closed
Ski Cooper	n/a	n/a	closed
Ski Granby	n/a	n/a	closed
Snowmass	n/a	n/a	closed
Steamboat	n/a	n/a	closed
Sunlight	n/a	n/a	closed
Telluride	n/a	n/a	closed
Vail	n/a	n/a	closed
WinterPark	n/a	n/a	closed
Wolf Creek	n/a	n/a	closed
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