Oct 20, 2020
Black slopes are your warm-up? Are you looking for challenging ski resorts? Skimondo shows you the slopes of the ski professionals: Alpine skiing and FIS World Cups celebrate speed records on these slopes. How fast do you go on your skis?
Challenging World Cup pistes: Follow the Alpine skiing legends
These are the most difficult ski runs in the world. The slopes that the racing professionals take down are a test of courage for every ambitious amateur athlete. At Skimondo you will find information on the notorious slopes on which Alpine Ski World Cups and Ski Championships take place every year.
The downhill classics in the Alpine Ski World Cup: the top five!
Streif, Kitzbühel | Austria
The hardest downhill in the world – can you conquer it?
The Streif is considered one of the most legendary and difficult runs worldwide. And not without reason: the 3,312 meters are tough – not only because of its gradient of up to 85 percent! After only about 8 seconds, the racers reach the dreaded Mousetrap (Mousefalle) – the first jump follows on the steepest part of the Streif. Jumps of up to 80 meters and speeds of over 120 kilometers per hour are not uncommon here among the professionals! We continue over sharp terrain edges and spectacular bumps until we reach the finish line with totally burning muscles and under maximum concentration. A class of its own!
The Streif is considered one of the most legendary and difficult runs worldwide. And not without reason.
When there is no Ski World Cup, recreational skiers also venture onto this legendary downhill run. The steepest parts are marked as an extreme ski route, but still can be avoided. The entire descent is largely shown as a red slope.
Lauberhorn, Wengen | Switzerland
The longest World Cup downhill race in the alpine skiing is the 4.5 kilometer of pure adrenaline: on the Lauberhorn downhill run, professionals achieve the highest average speed in comparison. To master the slope, you not only need perfect technique and fitness, but even more courage and willingness to take risks. The pace rises rapidly at the beginning within a few seconds before the most difficult sections of the Lauberhorn piste are waiting. The so-called Hundschopf, for example, the real trademark of the Lauberhorn downhill run, has it all: the narrow, rocky passage requires maximum concentration, tactics, perfect jumping technique and line selection. Are you ready for this ski adventure?
Oreiller-Killy, Val d'Isère | France
The Oreiller-Killy, or also known as the O.K. piste, is not the most demanding or dangerous descent in the World Cup, but it is definitely still a top 5. While the races of the women still take place on the red piste in the Val d'Isère ski area, the men have only been skiing on the slope for a few years on the “Face de Bellevarde”. But no matter which slope you prefer – the downhill runs of the world champions are tough!
Saslong, Gröden | Italy
The World Cup slope in Val Gardena is particularly known for its “Camel Humps”. If you have successfully passed this section, the next hurdle is waiting for you and your already burning thighs: the dreaded Ciaslat. This curvy, corrugated sheet-like section decides whether the athletes win or lose the race. Courage, precision, strength and stamina are the prerequisites for accomplishing the 3,446 meters. Are you ready to hit this slope?
Kandahar, Garmisch-Partenkirchen | Germany
The steepest of all World Cup tracks can be found in the Bavarian Alps. In the “Free Fall” section, the piste tests the skiers with a gradient of 92 percent: absolutely not for the faint of heart. Where there is fighting for hundredths of a second, you can also pull yourself the turns down towards the valley. With a total of 1,800 vertical meters, the demanding piste offers an unforgettable downhill experience that is simply extraordinary. Anyone who reaches the valley station intact has more than earned a break in the ski bars at the Kreuzeck lift!
Less known slopes of the Alpine Ski World Cup - but no less demanding!
Olympia, Åre | Sweden
The venue of many Alpine World Championships and women's competitions at Olympia: the Olympia Downhill in Åre. World Cup races have been held here since 1969 with the elite of international ski athletes. But even ambitious hobby athletes can sniff World Cup air here and make their turns on the demanding slopes. Ready for a new ski adventure? Then off to Sweden!
Olympiabakken, Kvitfjell | Norway
The Alpine Ski World Cups have taken place on the Olympiabakken on the 1,032-meter-high Kvitfjell in Norway since 1993. The piste has long curves and jumps that require a perfect combination of speed and skills. But even if professional athletes ski on the slopes, ambitious hobby skiers with the right technique can well enjoy the descent on a route as they please.
Have you already explored other Nordic ski slopes? Face the Wild while skiing in Scandinavia and Iceland!
Olimpia delle Tofane, Cortina d’Ampezzo | Italy
The Statofana piste, also known as Olimpia delle Tofane, is considered one of the most beautiful and famous ski race tracks in Italy. This is thanks in part to its location in the middle of the UNESCO World Heritage region, the Dolomites. Female athletes have been competing in the Alpine Skiing World Cup on Tofane since 1993, which enjoys a similar fame in the Women's World Cup as the Streif for Men. After the start, things get straight to the point: up to 130 kilometer per hour can be reached on the descent! When you go, don't forget to enjoy the view in the frenzy of speed: the mountain panorama is no doubt as breathtaking as the Ski World Cup route.
Got scared or becoming interested?
Those who dare to tackle the legendary downhill runs of the Alpine Ski World Cup can be proud of themselves! Are you looking for a new ski adventure? Follow in the footsteps of ski sports legends and embark on your own World Cup tour.
The slopes are ready – are you too?
