Manifestazioni sportive / 18.09.2014

Swix Ski Classics 2015 expands with new races and formats!!

The long distance ski championship Swix Ski Classics today launched its race calendar for the coming winter of 2014/2015. The calendar has several news; The calendar increases the number of events being part in Swix Ski Classics, the tour now begins in December, it will also introduce a new competition format in cross country skiing; The ProTeam Tempo. All events in Swix Ski Classics, except the ProTeam Tempo, is open for professional as well as amateur skiers. The tour has an international TV production, last year distributed in 73 countries.

The Swix Ski Classics calendar for the winter of 2014/2015 will consist of 9 events, starting off with a prologue in Livigno, Italy, on the 13th of December. The prologue is held as a ProTeam Tempo over 15 km. ProTeam Tempo is a new format, influenced by the Team Tempo in cycling. In Swix Ski Classics ProTeam Tempo the Pro Teams will start with 2 minutes time gap in opposite start order of the final team standing last season. The Pro Teams female skiers will start first in a mass start also over 15 km. The final result will be calculated by adding the times of the best 2 male and single best female from each team, handing out teams points in the Swix Ski Classicsteam competition. All individual Swix Ski Classics athletes competing in the prologue will also get individual bonus points from the first individual event.

The second event, La Sgambeda, is held the day after the prologue on the 14th of December over 35 km, also in Livigno, Italy. Thereafter the tour takes a break over christmas and returns on the 11th of January with the 50 km classic race Jizerska Padesatka in Bedrichov, Czech Republic. The fourth event is the La Diagonela, Switzerland. The race made its debut in last years Ski Classics calendar, but will this year be held on a picturesque new track over 65 km through the villages of St Moritz, Zuoz and Pontresina in the Engadin Valley. After the stop in Switzerland the tour moves to Italy and Marcialonga in the valleys of Val di Fassa and Val di Fiemme, the race over 70 km is famous for its notorious final uphill climb, the Cascata, leading to the finish in Cavalese town square. From Italy the Pro Teams then travel to Germany and the 50 km König Ludwig Lauf in Oberammergau, Bayern. Thereafter the athletes get a well deserved break from competing until the 8th of March when it is time for the first stop in Sweden, Vasaloppet, the 90 km legendary race between Sälen and Mora. After Vasaloppet Swix Ski Classics two weeks later moves to Norway and Birkebeinerrennet, a 53 km challenge over two mountains ending up in Lillehammer, the olympic host of the 1994 winter games. Final stop in the Swix Ski Classicscalendar is once again Årefjällsloppet, the 75 km race in stunning sceneries starting in Vallbo and finishing in Åre, the leading winter resort of Scandinavia.

” The expansion of the calendar from 6 to 9 events is a great improvement, both athletes, TV-stations as well as fans has requested a longer season. We have also worked hard in order to be able to start off the season already in December. It will then be interesting to see how the ”January-madness” of 4 events, 4 weekends in a row turns out. The introduction of the new ProTeam Tempo format will make the Swix Ski Classics Pro Teams competition even more interesting. The ProTeam Tempo format has been developed in discussions with athletes and teams. Now we are all just waiting for December to come in order to start off the best Swix Ski Classicscalendar so far! ” Says David Nilsson CEO Ski Classics

More information about the tour at www.swixskiclassics.com

Media rights and sponsorship possibilities are handled by W sportsmedia AB www.wsportsmedia.com

Swix Ski Classics 2014/2015 Calendar

Event 1

Ski Classics Prologue – ProTeam Tempo

Livigno, Italy

Saturday December 13th 2014
15 km Classic Technique

Event 2

La Sgambeda

Livigno, Italy
Sunday December 14th 2014
35km Classic Technique

Event 3

Jizerská Padesátka