Editor's Note: International travel and the logistics of racing in Europe, far from home, have long been one of the major challenges facing North American national ski teams. By creating a European training facility, The Canadian Snowsports Association has taken a significant step toward minimizing the effects of these necessary components of elite competition.
VANCOUVER, BC – The Canadian Snowsports Association (CSSA), the Val di Fiemme, Italy Tourism Authority and Trentino Region are very pleased to announce a partnership that will give Canadian ski and snowboard teams a home-away-from-home, and on snow training facilities over the next 3 years.
Dave Pym, Managing Director of the CSSA stated:
“This partnership is based in a very unique location close to Bolzano/Trento with superb Alpine, Cross Country and Ski Jumping facilities, coupled with permanent bases that can be used from December to April (and in summer for Jumpers), and should enable our various teams to have a base central to Switzerland, Austria and Italy around various World Cup, Continental Cup and other FIS events.”
The Partnership provides lodging with fixed apartment accommodation, meals, gymnasium, on-snow training and other support services from December 1 to April 1 and during the Spring and Summer for Ski Jumping/Nordic Combined in an area used for Cross Country World Cup and Nordic World Ski Championships in 1991 and 2003 and an applicant for 2013, with a wide variety of suitable Alpine/Snowboard and Freestyle Slopes.
Canada's Alpine Team Director of Athletics – Dusan Grasic – who tried out the facilities during the 2007 season said that:
