Blog Dolomites

Dolomiti Winter Triathlon

The Winter Triathlon of the Dolomites takes place in Alta Pusteria on 29th March 2009. The athletes start in the main square of Villabassa and have to run a distance of 5.2 km. After the running they change their trainers into the mountain bike: the distance with the bike is 12 km. The third and last part of this event takes the athletes to Braies: they have to do a 6 km long Alpine Skiing course.
You can sign on till Friday, the 27th March 2009 in the Tourism Association of Villabassa (0474 745136).

Snowpark Kronplatz

This winter season the ski area Plan de Corones offers a great novelty for all freestylers: the “Snowpark Kronplatz”, the largest snow park in South Tyrol. At about 800 meters freestyle fans with the skis or snowboard, can have a lot of fun. The snow park is accessible by the lifts of the Kronplatz, for example from Valdaora and offers 4 lines in various degrees of difficulty, and a Family Fun Line with little steep curves and obstacles.

Winter art in San Candido

Every year in San Candido there will be held the International Snow Sculpture Festival during the month of January. 3x3x3 m blocks of snow are located in different places of the village and the participating teams, on this blocks, can play with the wealth of their ideas. The results are wonderful snow sculptures. The works have all to be finished within 3 days, then they are going to be inspected and voted by guests and local residents.

Winner of this year was the team Italia II (Davide Galbiati, Matteo Schiavo and Francesco Bornati) with its Kung Fu Panda. Thanks to the low temperatures, the sculptures can be admired till the firs mild days, even in the evening as they are illuminated.

Biathlon in Valle Anterselva

Every year takes place the Biathlon World Cup in Anterselva, near the lake. The best biathletes of the world fight for a (gold-) medal on these days (22nd – 25th January 2009), while they get motivated from their best fans. Running power and concentration on the shooting stand are very important.  Some athletes lose their concentration and give off their first place.
Among the runs, the Valle Anterselva offers a great program and so everybody can have an unforgettable weekend.

33th Putertaler Ski-Marathon

A cross-country skiing weekend for young and old, professional and no-professional was last week in Alta Pusteria: on Saturday took place the classical style race (28km) of the 33th Pustertaler Ski-Marathon. The athletes started in Dobbiaco and finished their run in Braies.
The 42 km-long freestyle-race was the day after: also that time the athletes began to run in Dobbiaco, but the arrival was in Sesto.
This weekend was for participants and viewers a great winter-experience. After some years there is enough snow also alongside the ski-tracks…

7th Balloonfestival in Dobbiaco

Who isn’t dreaming about a balloon flight over the snowy Dolomites’ landscape?
The 7th Dolomiti Balloonfestival is taking place from 10th to 18th January 2009 in Dobbiaco. In these days the balloons will paint the sky in a fabulous world and conditional on their quiet gliding they give calm and idyll to everybody.
For those who has not the opportunity to fly in a balloon, there are the following events to take part:

• Saturday, 10th January 2009: opening of the festival with “Balloon-glowing” and fireshow
• Sunday, 11th January 2009: “children’s–day”

Read more here

Gratis-Skibus in Alta Pusteria

A great news for the winter friends in Alta Pusteria: from 23 December 2008 they can use the ski busses free of charge, if they have a valid ski ticket. The ski bus Holzer or Steiner transports the people from Sesto, San Candido, Dobbiaco, Villabassa and Braies to skiing areas, cross-country slopes and walking ways half-hourly.
Behind this project is also an ecological aim; the sportsmen should avoid the car and take the bus.

Sport events in the Dolomites

Did you know that the Dolomiti Superski region took place not only the Olympic winter-games, but also a ski worldcup? Those sport events taked place on 1956 in Cortina and 1970 in Val Gardena. Every year the FIS-ski worldcup races take place on those slopes and other ones in Cortina, Alta Badia and Val Gardena, so that the skiing zone in the Dolomites is the only ski resort where all worldcup-disciplines carried out like down-hill, super-G, giant-slalom and slalom.

The 12 FIS rules for conduct

The following rules are law on the slopes

1. A skier or snowboarder must behave in such a way that he does not endanger others.
2. A skier or snowboarder must move in control. He must adapt his speed and manner of skiing to his personal ability.
3. A skier or snowboarder coming from behind must choose his route in such a way that he does not endanger skiers or snowboarders ahead.
4. A skier or snowboarder may overtake another skier or snowboarder above or below and to the right or to the left. Moreover, in Italy the same principle applies on the slopes as on the roads, that tose coming from the right have the right of way at a crossing.
5. A skier or snowboarder entering a marked run or after stopping must look that he can do so without danger.
6. Unless absolutely necessary, a skier or snowboarder must avoid stopping on the slopes in narrow places or where visibility is restricted. After a fall in such a place, a skier or snowboarder must move clear of the slope as soon as possible.
7. Climbing or descending on foot must keep to the side of the slope. In Italy is prohibited to walk on the slopes, unless absolutely necessary.
8. A skier or snowboarder must respect all signs and markings.
9. Anyone, witness of or participant in an accident, must render assistance by raising alarm.
10. After an accident a skier or snowboarder must consign the identity card.
11. Leave enough space to the edge of the slopes.
12. Pay attention to the skiing direction of others in consideration of the type of ski being use. Moreover in Italy is obligatory to wear a helmet until the age of 14.