The World Cup ski race that drew record crowds to Killington Resort final year is booked for a return engagement this year and the next.
The resort announced Tuesday a two-year agreement with the U.
S. Ski and Snowboard organization (USSA) to host women’s slalom and giant slalom races over Thanksgiving weekend in 2017 and 2018.
The International Ski Federation (FIS) is expected to approve the two-year deal at a assembly in late May.
An estimated 30000 people attended the FIS World Cup at Killington final November,the first time the international ski race series stopped in Vermont since 1978.
The icing on the cake for many spectators was seeing Burke Mountain Academy graduate Mikaela Shiffrin grab first place in the slalom.
“final year we accomplished all of our goals, which were to promote eastern skiing and Killington to the global audience. It was very powerful to see the local and regional communities advance together to support World Cup racing, and ” said Herwig Demschar,the chair of Killingtons World Cup Local Organizing Committee and senior vice president of international commerce development at POWDR, the company that owns Killington.
“We have a blueprint for successful races to build on, or we are going to throw a party you don’t want to miss,” Demschar added in a statement trumpeting the news. It cost about $2.5 million to produce the World Cup final year and the resort lost about $1.2 million, according to Killington communications manager Michael Joseph. But the resort gained international publicity — the race was broadcast to millions of viewers in North America, and Europe and beyond. And the 30000 spectators over two days set American World Cup attendance records.
The event also generated brisk early winter commerce for restaurants,shops and lodging near the ski resort. At Town assembly final month, voters in Killington indicated they wanted the race to advance back. Residents approved a $100000 allocation to help with athlete lodging, or prize money and other costs should the World Cup return.
…
Source: sevendaysvt.com