In Åre, 670 km (416 miles) north-west of Stockholm, Mother Nature has shoved aside global warming trends and blessed the village with perfect conditions for hosting the 2007 FIS (International Ski Federation) Alpine World Ski Championships.

The 1,000 residents of Åre will soon be accompanied by an estimated 100,000 guests and spectators. The two-week competition (February 3–18) will showcase the world’s hottest alpine skiers and offer a full program of live entertainment and exhibitions. Around 350 skiers representing 63 nations will carve their way down new and redesigned slopes, competing for 10 titles and one team title.

Ladies’ team ready for the starting gate
The Swedish alpine team is understandably excited about competing on home turf. Jessica Lindell Vikarby, a member of the ladies’ team, says: “I’ve been looking forward to this for a very long time. The hype has been great – hearing about all the planning and organization that has gone into the event. It will be a great experience.”


Jessica Lindell Vikarby of the Swedish alpine team hopes for a peak perfomance at the World Championships in Åre. Photo: Nisse Schmidt

Lindell Vikarby is confident that the ladies’ team will be a force to be reckoned with. “Our chances are great,” she says. “We have a number of skiers who are really skiing well right now. Therese Borssén has performed very well lately, and Anja Pärson is a favorite in many of the disciplines.”

And her own chances? “It went very well for me at the World Cup event at Cortina d’Ampezzo in Italy, so it feels good right now,” Lindell Vikarby says. “A medal is obviously a dream for every athlete, but I feel that right now it’s more realistic for me than it has been before.”

Swedish men also fit for fight
When Åre last hosted the World Championships in 1954, Stig Sollander took a bronze medal in the combination discipline – the sole medal for the men’s team. Men’s alpine coach Helmuth Krug feels that the Swedish skiers are more than capable of medalling again.

“We are currently very strong in the slalom discipline,” says Krug. “A slalom medal for us in Åre wouldn’t be surprising.” The fact that Markus Larsson, André Myhrer and Jens Byggmark have already clinched one World Cup triumph each this year has helped to raise expectations.

According to Krug, the team is enthusiastic about competing on Swedish snow. He says: “The guys are all extremely happy right now. They seem to have that extra motivation that comes with competing in a familiar, comfortable environment.”

Additionally, the men realize the significance of this competition for Sweden, which also intensifies their excitement. “It’s been over 50 years since Sweden hosted the World Championships,” says Krug. “You just never know when it’s going to happen again.”

Åre has come a long way
Preparations for the 2007 World Championships began in 2002, when Åre won the rights to host the event with a bid that promised to surround the world-class sporting event with a broad range of culture and entertainment, something that other ski resorts did not propose.


Station Åre is one of the brand new buildings at the Swedish ski resort. Illustration: Tengbom

Over the past five years, new hotels and restaurants have sprung up, courses have been redesigned and rebuilt, a new snow cannon infrastructure has been implemented and entertainment has been arranged. Åre is now ready to host both a first-class competition and the after-ski party of a lifetime.

SEK 190 million (USD 27.2 million) has been invested in the Swedish National Alpine Arena by Åre 2007 AB, the company responsible for the planning and organization of the competition and surrounding events. This figure includes the cost of building a road tunnel for the E14 highway, passing under the finish area.

Much more than a competition
“Apart from incorporating our alpine skiing history and experience in order to satisfy the demands of the competition, we have also created a festival atmosphere,” says Titti Rodling, Media and Information Director of Åre 2007.

“Guests and spectators will be treated to an all-round experience that includes not only the best skiing in the world, but also full-day programs that include everything from music to fashion and design.”

Facts

• The opening ceremony for the 2007 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships takes place on February 2. The closing ceremony will be on February 18.
• The Swedish Alpine Team has won 25 medals in the history of the World Championships (12 gold, four silver and nine bronze).
• Anja Pärson has won medals in each of the past three World Championships (four gold, one silver and one bronze).
• If allowed to choose a song to listen to while careening down the slopes during a competition, Jessica Lindell Vikarby would choose the U2 and Mary J Blige version of “One.”
• Swedish alpine great Ingemar Stenmark and other skiing legends will compete in the SkiStar Invitational, a charity event for the Active Life Foundation.
• About 1,500 journalists are expected to cover the event. Six countries (Sweden, Germany, Switzerland, the US, Finland and Italy) will broadcast live.

The Swedish national team in the FIS Alpine
World Ski Championships 2007
Ladies
Nike Bent – super G, super combined, downhill
Therese Borssén – giant slalom, slalom
Frida Hansdotter – super G
Janette Hargin – super combined
Kajsa Kling – super G, downhill
Jessica Lindell Vikarby – super G, super combined, downhill, giant slalom
Anna Ottosson – giant slalom, slalom
Maria Pietilä Holmner – giant slalom, slalom
Anja Pärson – super G, super combined, downhill, giant slalom, slalom

Men
Oscar Andersson – downhill
Jens Byggmark – super combined, giant slalom, slalom
Martin Hansson – slalom
Patrik Järbyn – super G, downhill
Markus Larsson – super combined, giant slalom, slalom
André Myhrer – giant slalom, slalom
Hans Olsson – super G, super combined, downhill
Matts Olsson – super G, downhill
Niklas Rainer – super G, super combined, downhill, giant slalom

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Anders Porter is a freelance writer and journalist from California. He lives in Grythyttan, Sweden, about 250 km (155 miles) west of Stockholm, where he runs a translating firm and works as a personal English language coach. Unable to tell his left ski from his right, he did not qualify to compete in Åre.

The author alone is responsible for the opinions expressed in this article.

Classification: A180EN

© Photo: Nisse Schmidt
© Illustration: Tengbom