International winter sports competitions in Slovenia

Active Slovenia is preparing for the biggest international winter sport competitions. Elite athletes of the snowy slopes and Nordic disciplines will gather at traditional sport events in Kranjska Gora, Planica and at Pohorje. Cheer for your favourites and be a part of the unforgettable sports atmosphere between the Alps and the Mediterranean Sea.

Slovenia is one of the world’s most successful countries in terms of sporting achievements per capita. Slovenian sports heroes bring moments of joy every season and gather supporters in front of the television or at the international winter sport competitions in Slovenia. Between 30th and 31st January 2016, the best female slalom and giant slalom skiers will be winding between the ski poles on Maribor Pohorje slopes. The skier with the best total times wins the Golden Fox. Cheer for your favourite foxy skier. The first Golden Fox title was won by men, since both women and men participated in the competition, which later became a women-only race. In 52 years of the competition, three Slovenian skiers have received Golden Fox awards.

The best male skiers will compete at the Vitranc Cup in Kranjska Gora. The slalom and giant slalom skiers will race downhill on the Podkoren ski run on 5th and 6th March 2016. The course is one of the hardest competitive runs of the International Ski Federation. The competition is considered a sports holiday in Kranjska Gora and was first known as the Bukovnik Downhill. The first competition took place in 1949 and began at the top of Vitranc hill. It demanded exceptional courage from contestants since the track was not insured and equipment was not as high-quality and safe as it is today. At the end of the 1950s, the downhill grew into an official competition in slalom and giant slalom, under the auspices of the International Ski Federation. The first official Vitranc Cup was organized in 1961 and since then 3 Slovenian alpine skiers have stood on the highest step of the winning podium.

Traditionally Planica hosts the World Cup Ski Jumping Final. The valley below Ponce is a known record holder since, in addition to numerous visitors, it is also where new world records in ski flying are set almost every year. In the long tradition of the competition, which has been taking place since 1934, Slovenians have won several times. The first milestone in ski jumping history was achieved at Planica in 1936, when an Austrian jumper jumped over 100 metres, which was an unimaginable distance at the time. Today, the Slovenian Eagles - the nickname of the Slovenian ski jumpers – jump and set new world records to a distance of 250 metres. Will we witness a new world record this season? Find out between 17th and 20th March 2016 at Planica.

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