‘The Queen of Runs’ - Olympia delle Tofane

Shrouded in myth and legend, this Italian gem of a run, known world-wide, will host the women’s Alpine and Paralympic Skiing in 2026.

The Olympia delle Tofane will host the Olympic women's Alpine Skiing competitions and the Paralympic Alpine skiing competitions (The places of the Games) at the Olympics in 2026. A ski course with a long history linked to the Olympics: inaugurated a few years earlier, it debuted during the men's Alpine Skiing trials at the 1956 Cortina d'Ampezzo Games. In 2021 it hosted the downhill, super-G and giant slalom races of the Alpine Ski World Championships, and since 1993, it has been the fixed stage of the women's World Cup circuit in downhill and super-G. The enchanting course in Cortina d'Ampezzo hosted the Women's World Cup races again this year from 20 to 22 January, two super-G and one downhill. There are also two races on the men's calendar on Olympia delle Tofane: these are the super-Gs not held in Val Gardena and Lake Louise (Saturday 28 and Sunday 29 January).
 

‘The Queen of Runs’ - Olympia delle Tofane

Sofia Goggia has said it is her favourite run. The champion has triumphed here 3 times in the World Cup, in 2018, 2022 and 2023.

It is 2,560m long and has an elevation of 750m. It starts with il tratto dello Schuss (the Schuss passage) - a wall with a gradient of 64% where skiers reach their maximum speed, followed by the Duca d'Aosta jump. After the jump, competitors enter Zona del Gigante with its curves. The Gran Curvone is the most complicated passage in the middle of the course, it is the most technically challenging curve as it tends to take athletes to the edge. Immediately after is the Scarpadon which, having a blind exit, is a very difficult point of the run. This leads to the final phase of the Pale di Rumerlo. The slope is less steep, so the skill of the athletes lies in maintaining their speed to face the final stretch that ends with the final man-made jump, known fondly as the "tooth".

Champions on the course

An important ski course, not only for its grandeur, but also due to the big names who have triumphed right here. The Olympia delle Tofane was the scene of the first gold medal of one of the best skiers in history, affectionally known as "Il lampo nero" (Blitz from Kitz) Toni Sailer. On February 3, 1956, at the age of 20, he won the Winter Olympics for the first time. Among the other champions who have found glory here, it is worth remembering Isolde Kostner, the most successful Italian here winning 4 gold medals, 3 of which were consecutive, from 1996 to 1998 (the only one to do so), Lindsey Vonn, first 6 times in the Cup and absolute queen of this run and Kristian Ghedina in the World Cup in 1990. While waiting for Milano Cortina 2026, let's enjoy the World Cup races in a unique setting such as that of the Olympia delle Tofane in Cortina d'Ampezzo, sure to give us a unique show.

While waiting for Milano Cortina 2026, let's enjoy the World Cup races in a unique scenario such as the Olympia delle Tofane in Cortina d'Ampezzo, sure to witness a unique spectacle.

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