Men's World Cup downhill ski races are tentatively scheduled to return to Lake Louise, Alta., this year and continue over 30 years of racing there. Canada's Brodie Seger skis down the hill during the men’s downhill race at the FIS Alpine Skiing World Cup, in Lake Louise, Alta., Saturday, Nov. 26, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn
CALGARY – Men’s World Cup downhill ski races are tentatively scheduled to return to Lake Louise, Alta., this year and continue over 30 years of racing there.
The international governing body of skiing’s calendar has the men competing Nov. 22-26, 2023, at the ski resort in Banff National Park, but with a “to be confirmed” designation.
Lake Louise has been the traditional opener of the men’s speed season, but it would be the second stop in 2023-24 after Zermatt-Cervinia, Switzerland, kicks it off Nov. 8-12.
Alpine Canada has replaced the traditional women’s downhills at Lake Louise the week after the men with a pair of women’s World Cup giant slalom races Dec. 2-3 in Mont-Tremblant, Que.
Those races are confirmed.
Alpine Canada chief executive officer Therese Brisson told The Canadian Press last year she wanted to keep a men’s speed event in Western Canada.
Lake Louise was the lead option, she said, but only if changes were made to the event’s logistical and financial operations.
Canada’s alpine ski team is coming off a banner season with James Crawford winning a men’s super-G world title and Laurence St. Germain beating U.S. superstar Mikaela Shiffrin for the women’s world slalom crown.
Cameron Alexander earned world championship bronze in men’s downhill and Canada also won bronze in the mixed team parallel race.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 25, 2023.
