Alpine Ski World Cup in Gurgl as one of the most environmentally friendly sports events in Austria

Last updated on 27.06.2024

The organizers of the first FIS Alpine Ski World Cup Slalom in Gurgl have new reason to celebrate. The major sports event came out on top of the Austria-wide ‘Win Sustainably!’ competition. The network of “Green Events Austria” has been organizing this campaign for 13 years by putting exemplary sports and cultural events and clubs in the spotlight.

In 2024, exactly 127 events and clubs from all over Austria took part in the competition. In the “Sports Events” category, Gurgl’s Alpine Ski World Cup is one of the winners alongside with Upper Austria Ladies Linz and Lake of Charity X in Salzburg. “It is very motivating to see how important climate protection and sustainability have become for associations, clubs and organizers. That is why such award-winning Green Events are particularly important best practice examples,” states Vice Chancellor Werner Kogler at the awards ceremony in Vienna. In conversation with the delegation from Ötztal, the Minister of Sport praised the courage to act as a Green Events Austria partner event when hosting the FIS Alpine Ski World Cup Slalom for the first time.

Humility was rewarded
The slalom in Gurgl held in November 2023 was the first Ski World Cup race in Austria to take place under the Green Events Austria label. The actual intention was to gain experience in Ötztal and thus provide inspiration for other World Cup venues. The joy is now all the greater to have been honored already for the first edition. “Initially, we had great respect for holding the World Cup as a green event. Thanks to our optimal valley-wide infrastructure, the effort was still manageable,” says Alban Scheiber, head of the Organizing Committee. “The current award confirms the effort and work of everyone involved as well as the path we have taken,” Scheiber states.

Expansion of measures
The organizing committee of the World Cup Slalom in Gurgl worked with Raphael Kuen, “Lebensraum Ötztal” Manager, in order to develop a comprehensive sustainability concept. It also included, for example, the use of regional food, reusable containers and cups, the avoidance of diesel generators and the increased expansion of public transport for fans traveling to and from the event site. “Without the strong support of Alban Scheiber and the conscientious implementation of the entire Gurgl OC Team, this would not have been possible. At the 2024 World Cup race, we will refine the measures and further expand them. For example, the mark of origin for food products offered in the catering sector or parts of the mobility concept,” explains Raphael Kuen.

Further innovations
“A lot of people is needed to do their bit. We tried it and proved that it works by winning this award,” confirms Dominic Kuen, Gurgl Destination Manager at Ötztal Tourismus. The head of the renowned Ötztaler Cycle Marathon’s organizing committee adds: “It’s great to see that we are officially recognized for our efforts at the World Cup. This naturally motivates us to take part in ‘Win Sustainably!’ also with other major sports events such as the ‘Ötztaler’ in the future.”

More details: gurgl.com/skiworldcup