In
1950, thanks to the efforts of
Dick Durrance and a group of ski racing advocates,
Aspen hosted its first important international
race — the Federation Internationale
de Ski (FIS) World Alpine Championships,
which drew top ski racers in every discipline.
In
1967, the World Cup circuit was
born, thanks to former U.S. Ski Team coach and
Aspen resident Bob Beattie, French coach Honoré
Bonnet, and Swiss journalist Serge Lang, the influential
columnist for L’Équipe newspaper.
World Cup, a season-long series of races, provided
the means of bringing consistent international
ski racing to the U.S., and determining the best
skiers in the world.
Aspen
hosted its first World Cup in 1968,
attracting considerable attention and prestige.
Winternational became the week-long pageant in
which World Cup’s “White Carnival”
is celebrated by the Aspen community.
Seventeen World Cup events have been held in
Aspen in 1968, 1976, 1981-1989, 1991-1995 and
most recently in 1998.
World Cup ski racing in Aspen
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