DAVOS NORDIC - Yesterday and today
In the past 5 years, DAVOS NORDIC has advanced further and made important progress. The stadium, the courses as well as the whole infrastructure were continually expanded and optimized in collaboration with the FIS and Swiss Ski. This is why today, DAVOS NORDIC justifiably claims to have reached, or even set, international standards!
SwissTopSport has also come to appreciate this fact and therefore has, in 2010, accepted DAVOS NORDIC to the association of the most important sports events in Switzerland!
From 2009 to 2010, the number of on-site spectators increased by approx. 20%. From 2010 to 2011 another increase of again approx. 50% to now around 17‘000 people was recorded. Beside the attractive supporting programme, excellent Catering-Services and a grandstand in the stadium, the outstanding achievements of the Swiss Ski athletes incl. Dario Cologna & Co. have likewise contributed to this positive increase.
For many years now, Davos has not only served as training location – but also as a place of residence for the majority of the Swiss National Team. In 2009, it was made the National Swiss Ski High Performance Centre for Cross-country skiing. Coaches and athletes feel very well looked after and find perfect training conditions year round. Even so in fall, when already a few hundred metres of slopes are provided in the Flüela valley which can be prepared thanks to the snow farming project of the Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research (SLF) and the Davos Community Services. Even international athletes such as the Swede Emil Jönsson have made Davos their place of residence. The thought of relocating to Davos is also haunting Peter Northug (NOR) – especially since in February 2013 the sort of pre-stage of the World Championship is taking place here.
The development of our event naturally brings about responsibility for environmental and sustainability issues. To encourage the use of public transportation, the special offer ‚single for return‘ was launched in collaboration with the Rhaetian Railway (RhB) and Post Buses Graubünden. Thus, spectators travelling to and from the cross-country skiing World Cup only need to buy a single fare ticket. Further pursuits take place in the section of waste separation as well as for the catering services in general (reusable dishes etc.). With ecosport.ch, a Swiss Olympic organisation, additional measures are proofed and implemented.
What has hardly changed in the last 30 years is the amount of voluntary work and the immense manpower which the organising committee and its partners put in during the last few weeks before the races. Even though Davos is known as a snow-sure area, the natural amounts of snow have not always been sufficient for the races to be carried out. Already in 1982, snow had to be brought to the Bünda terrain from the Flüela valley – nowadays, the snow guns and a more up-to-date machinery help… Never yet were the races cancelled!
