Killington given ‘positive snow control,’ officially cleared to host World Cup ski race
The Killington Cup will once again happen on Thanksgiving Weekend.
Killington is once again set to host its annual World Cup ski race on Thanksgiving weekend.
The Vermont-based ski area received a “positive snow control” from officials representing the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) on Thursday. It formally signals that the Killington Cup, which will take place on Nov. 25 and 26, has been given the green light.
A year after having to cut it close with snowmaking preparations due to unseasonably warm temperatures, things returned closer to normal in 2023.
“Typical ups and downs, but this year we got some really cold temperatures at the end of October,” Killington general manager and president Mike Solimano said during an interview on Thursday. “Last year, we didn’t really have any cold temperatures until five days before the race, so everybody was freaking out. I think this time last year, the trail was still green.”
Circumstances have been more favorable in 2023. Killington already has a handful of trails open to the public, starting its customarily long ski season on Nov. 3.
For racing, the skiers will once test their abilities on “Superstar,” a black diamond run that finishes near the K-1 base lodge. The trail that runs parallel to it (called “Skylark”) will also be available for practice runs.
Held each year since 2016 (with the exception of 2020 due to the pandemic), the Killington Cup showcases two events: women’s giant slalom on Saturday, and women’s slalom on Sunday.
Mikaela Shiffrin, who at 28 years old has already broken the all-time record for World Cup wins, is set to return along with a talented field. Shiffrin got her 2023-2024 racing season off to a strong start by winning the slalom competition in Levi, Finland last weekend. It was the 89th World Cup win of her career.
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