Crans-Montana, Falun, Montafon ready for World Championships

Odd-numbered years mean World Ski Championships (WSC), and 2027 is gearing up for three spectacular events with Final Inspections having recently taken place at all three venues.

From February 1-14, Crans-Montana (SUI) will host the 49th edition of the Alpine WSC with 11 medal events taking place. 

Falun (SWE) will stage the 45th installment of the Nordic WSC from February 24 to March 7 with 26 medal events across the disciplines of Ski Jumping, Cross-Country, and Nordic Combined.

And from March 6-21, Montafon (AUT) is the site of the seventh Snowboard, Freestyle and Freeski WSC. These will be the 21st Freestyle WSC and the 17th Snowboard World Championships. Medals in no fewer than 31 events will be contested.

Crans-Montana prepared for celebration

The Final Inspection ahead of the Crans-Montana 2027 Alpine WSC was held in the penultimate week of September. Over three days, FIS reviewed safety installations, the placement of broadcast cameras and finalized where intermediate time checks would be taken. Discussions also took place concerning snow preparation.

This will be the second time the Valais resort has held these championships, 40 years after the first. Home skiers dominated on that occasion with Switzerland claiming eight out of a possible 10 golds, and it remains a powerhouse in Alpine Skiing.

With Crans-Montana hosting men’s World Cup speed races in recent years, greater attention has been paid to the layout for the technical disciplines with the final starting point for the Team Parallel decided. One finish area is being used for all events, but a solution has been found to keep the snow pristine in the closing sections.

"The flow to the finish area is now regulated with two corridors," revealed FIS Men's Chief World Cup Race Director Raimund Plancker. "One on the skier’s right for the women, and one on skier’s left for the men to facilitate circulation without touching the racing line."

He added, "The course set has been improved twice from the first World Cup Test on the men’s Downhill. Now with the dirt work done on the Mur des Mélèzes, the terrain has its final shape and the Piste National is ready for an exciting World Championship downhill.

"We started working on this slope two years ago together with Hannes Trinkl, and now I can see how everything has improved. From day one, our goal has been always been to deliver the best possible race here in February for the World Championships. I'm confident that the changes we've made will give both the athletes and fans an even better race to compete in and to watch."

FIS also visited infrastructure such as the media center and the Medal Plaza where a number of events are planned during the championships. The goal is to make the WSC a celebration for fans and the whole region, and the experience - in terms of organization and know-how - can only benefit Crans-Montana as a ski racing venue for years to come.

"I’ve been very happy to see the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) work in a very professional manner, playing attention to detail and with a mixture of young energy and experience,” said FIS Alpine Director Janne Leskinen. “I also like the LOC's approach to stage a festival around the sport and taking into consideration the needs of different target groups. This will create a new fan base for future events.

"With its legacy from the 1987 World Championships including events on the legendary Piste Nationale, and a new women’s course with both ending in a compact stadium, they have created a strong setting for this event. Crans-Montana is ready, and we are in for a feast of ski racing and entertainment at the highest level."

Falun 2027 leans on experience plus local participation and traditions

Falun will host the Nordic WSC for the sixth time in 2027, 12 years after its fifth edition. Only Lahti (FIN) with seven - which will become eight in 2029 - has staged the showpiece on more occasions.

The first Nordic Combined Women’s Team event at a World Championship will increase the number of medal events from 25 to 26 although, in Trondheim two years ago, there were also Para Sprint Cross-Country medal races.

With the aim of creating “a Nordic WSC that stays in your heart”, Falun boasts strong public interest and local engagement, as well as support from Sweden as a whole. Schools, young people and local traditions will be involved in the lead-up, and medalists will be gifted hand-knitted beanies crafted by needleworkers across Sweden.

Inclusion and development are also central themes of Falun 2027 with support for smaller nations - such as the Common Waxing Project - to enable them to be more competitive.

In the Final Inspection, the venues for Ski Jumping, Nordic Combined and Cross-Country Skiing were viewed, as well as the Medal Plaza in Falun’s main square, Stora Torget. After this, there was the eighth and final FIS Coordination Group which had been held every six months since the award of the Games.

“Falun 2027 will showcase both the great traditions of Nordic skiing and how our sport continues to develop,” said FIS Sport and Event Director Sandra Spitz. “For me, it is always special to come back to Falun. You immediately feel the passion for skiing and how much these World Championships mean to the people here.

“I’m really pleased with where we are in the preparations and with the commitment and positive spirit of everyone involved. Falun knows how to bring athletes, fans and the whole community together, and I truly believe that in 2027 we will once again experience a fantastic ski festival and a World Championships that creates very special memories.”

“We are very pleased with the days we have spent together with FIS and a number of key stakeholders,” added Falun 2027 CEO Kajsa Sjösvärd. “We have received clear confirmation that we are on the right track as we prepare for this winter’s major celebration of skiing and community. Following these meetings, we feel confident about the next steps and the final preparations ahead of the Championships entering the delivery phase.”

Montafon set for historic Snowboard, Freestyle and Freeski World Championships

The addition of the Dual Moguls Team event means 31 gold medals will be awarded at Montafon 2027. They will be the largest Snowboard, Freestyle and Freeski World Championships in history, and the biggest winter sports event ever staged in the Austrian state of Vorarlberg.

Montafon is the main center for the championships, but Halfpipe competitions for both Freeski and Snowboard will take place in Kühtai some 100km to the east. Situated just west of Innsbruck, Kühtai is a regular stop on the Para Snowboard World Cup series.

The two-day Final Inspection began with the World Broadcaster Meeting. The following day was dominated by the FIS Coordination Group Meeting including a comprehensive review of venues and ceremonies, organization, logistics and medical services and anti-doping operations.

Sustainability has been a key consideration for organizers with the redesigned Slopestyle courses saving around 60,000m³ of snow. The program has also been shaped by learnings taken from the Saalbach 2025 Alpine WSC, while investment in local infrastructure will provide a legacy for the region well beyond the competition.

"I'm really excited about Montafon 2027," commented Spitz. “Of course, an event of this scale comes with challenges, but what gives me confidence is seeing how the people here are finding smart and practical solutions together. I particularly like the combination of Montafon and Kühtai, making good use of the venues and infrastructure that are already there.”

Those thoughts were echoed by Jan Überall, Secretary General of the Austrian Ski Association (ÖSV). “An event of this scale only works when everyone involved cooperates closely and professionally,” he said. “That is exactly what has characterized the preparations here in Montafon."