Val di Fiemme 2013 ready to go
Monday 10 December 2012
The official inauguration ceremony of the structures has taken place and in just over 70 days, these structures will host the Nordic World Ski Championships Trentino Fiemme 2013. Now that the ribbon has been cut, everything is ready. First stop: the last two stages of the Tour de Ski 2013.
Last year, the main structures of the 2013 World Championships were already in place and the 2012 pre-World Championships offered a wonderful possibility to test them all. Despite the success of these tests, the organizing committee noticed that some things were missing, some could be improved even more and some needed a bit of extra work. Therefore, the OC rolled up its sleeves and worked really hard to carry out all the improvements needed. A strict schedule was followed, improving the already top-quality facilities installed in the arenas of Val di Fiemme even more.
The main goal of all this work was quite simple: put everything necessary in place, not only to host good World Championships, but to lift the bar even higher and to aim at an excellent World Championships from all angles.
Today it has been the symbolic day to close this chapter of improvements and to officially inaugurate all the main structures, allowing also the volunteers and the local population to take a look at the venues and discover all their secrets through a series of guided tours to the facilities.
The day has started in Predazzo, with the official inauguration and blessing of the ski-jumping stadium, where now everything seems to be in the right place. With the glass-terrace that will host the VIP room, the renovated stands, the new wax and TV containers in place and all the improvements made on the hills and in the main building of the arena, the stadium has truly got the look of a nice theatre designed to follow the action of one of the most thrilling and spectacular winter sports in the world, putting spectators and journalists in the best possible condition to follow every movement of their favorite athletes on the hills. Moreover, the stadium has now got everything needed to become a real point of reference for ski-jumping in the entire country, catching also the attention of the most experienced and skilled jumpers as the perfect training center for summer and autumn training-camps.
After the ribbon-cutting ceremony in Predazzo, it has been time to get to Lago di Tesero, the «cross-country heart» of the Valley and perform the same ritual. Also in the cross-country arena many improvements have been carried out: to the ski-tracks (with underpasses and new stands for the audience), to the entrance of the stadium, to the facilities in the stadium (new additional waxing and TC-commentary boxes covered with top-quality Val di Fiemme wood), etc. Many things have changed, but the spirit of the ski-tracks is still the same, with a tough course characterized by steep climbs and sharp corners. Conquering a gold medal here will be something unforgettable, as well as witnessing the moment in which this quest will happen. A wonderful experience both for the athletes and the audience: this is what Lago di Tesero will offer during the 2 weeks of the 2013 World Championships... But first, it will have the chance to amaze all its guests during the final two stages of the Tour de Ski 2013, scheduled for January 5th and 6th.
After the ceremony in Lago di Tesero, the last stop has been «Palafiemme» in Cavalese, the renovated conference center that will provide the perfect workplace for hundreds of journalists working during the World Championships. Also here the works carried out have been spectacular and now the center has got a fresher and more innovative look, with brand new floors and newly painted walls. Besides, the technology provided here will be really at the forefront, with a very fast internet connection that will meet the needs of the most demanding and «broad-band hungry» journalists and photographs. A true conference center that in the future will provide the Valley with the perfect location to host important conferences and meetings.
These aspects were highlighted also by the authorities present at the inauguration and by the OC of Fiemme2013, who have performed a brief presentation of the upcoming World Championships by showing to the people attending a couple of promotional videos of the event. The ceremony has ended with a sparkling toast and a cheer to the upcoming World Championships, closing the afternoon in the best and most tasty possible way.
The structures are ready, the OC is ready...now we only have to wait!
