The Alto Sangro Ski Area Welcomes The 2018 IKA SnowKite WorldCup
Sat 17th Feb, 2018 @ 12:00 am
Italy’s Alto Sangro Ski Area is hosting the 2018 IKA SnowKite World Cup February 14th – 18th! The unique, GPS competition format gives riders the total freedom to explore wide stretches of terrain while competing. Find out more about the event below. News provided by the International Kiteboarding Association.
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The best riders in the world will compete in the mountains of the Alto Sangro ski area at the SnowKite WorldCup from 14th to 18th February. The event is a part of a world tour promoted by IKA (International Kiteboarding Association), member of World Sailing, and in collaboration with FIS (International Ski Federation) on individual snowkite events.
The disciplines will be CrossCountry / Long Distance and especially the GPS Formula.
Use of the innovative GPS formula
The leg of Roccaraso, in the Alto Sangro ski area, is organized by A.S.D Outdoor 360 and the snowkite school in Roccaraso, SnowkiteRoccaraso.com. The particularity of the event in Roccaraso is the innovative GPS formula: the athletes are equipped with a tracking system that constantly records their movements and a software that evaluates their performances. The riders will be called to achieve, in 60-minute race sessions, more kilometers, more variations in height and more distance from a starting point. Therefore there are no more pre-established routes but total freedom of their choices. An innovation in contrast with the classic regattas that use buoys to delimit the competition area. The choice of the GPS format required the creation of a dedicated software that the organizers believe should be extended to other disciplines. In addition to the GPS system, athletes must bring with them an avalanche transceiver, snow shovel and probe to ensure maximum safety. To prevent risks, during every day’s riders meetings, the organizers will report areas with dangers and steepest slopes.
Athletes skills
The mountainous areas are by nature subject to greater variations in wind direction and intensity due to the change of altitude. Within a few meters, riders can have good wind conditions but also none at all. Therefore the skills of the best athletes consist not only of speed and courage but in the ability to correctly interpret these variations and choose paths with the best weather conditions. Niccolò de Simone – organizer of the event – explains the rules: “Rules are simple: travel in a given unit of time more kilometers, more variations in altitude and more overall perimeter coverage through the use of a GPS. This means maximum freedom of movement and the possibility to choose one’s own path”. The motivations and objectives related to the organization of the Snowkite World Championship in the Alto Sangro ski area – says Niccolò de Simone – is the desire to offer companies innovative formats related to emerging and spectacular disciplines, and also the search to get out of the traditional sponsorship schemes to create an event with a race format which is appreciated by athletes– two essential elements for the success of the event. For the Mayor of Roccaraso, Francesco Di Donato, the Snowkite World Championship, “represents a further opportunity to measure our ability to host a sporting event that will show our area worldwide. Moreover, it is a sport that is followed with great attention by young people who represent a market segment on which we are making the most important efforts in terms of tourism promotion”.
Why the choice of the Alto Sangro ski area
“The location of the event is of fundamental importance – explains the president of the Skipass Alto Sangro Consortium, Bonaventura Margadonna – we have always hosted competitions of international level and we are convinced that this world championship represents an extraordinary opportunity for us to showcase the potential of our area and our facilities”. The Alto Sangro ski area is in fact particularly suitable for snowkiting because of the conformity of the mountains. There are, in fact, large areas with slopes not too steep and with no trees, essential conditions for the practice of snowkiting in a safe environment. In addition, the presence of efficient and well-distributed ski lifts allow a very rapid movement in the various race areas.
The different Race Areas
The organization will identify the different locations of the event day by day. Amongst the possible race areas, there are the Cinque Miglia plain, Vallefredda, Toppe del Tesoro and Monte Pratello. All info and communications will be given on the Facebook page.
Race Schedule
Tuesday Feb 13
20.00 – 21.30 Registration at the Roccaraso main squareWednesday, Feb 14
10.00 to 16.00 Tace test and race area inspection leaving from Pizzalto ski lift
20.00 – 22.00 Race test analysis and pre-registration at Gran caffè of RivisondoliThursday, Feb 15
8.30 -9.30: Official registration at Piazzalto
9.30 10.00 Riders meeting
11.00 Race Start
15.00 Race ends.
15.30 meeting at Lago D’Avoli
19.00 Upload GPX File
21.30 Results analysis at Gran Caffè in RivisondoliFriday, Feb 16
9.00 Riders meeting
10.00 Race Start
15.00 End of the race.
15.30 Meeting at Lago D’Avoli
19.00 Upload of GPX files
21.30 Results analysis at Gran Caffè in RivisondoliSaturday, Feb 17
Rider meeting
11.00 Race Start
15.00 End of the race.
15.30 meeting at Lago D’Avoli
19.00 Upload GPX Files
21.30 Results analysis at Gran Caffè in RivisondoliSunday, Feb 18
9.00: Rider meeting at Pizzalto
10.00 Race start
13.00 End of the race.
13.00 Upload GPX file and send to info@snowkiterccaraso.com
14.30 Price giving ceremony at Pizzalto
Check out the World SnowKite Contest Race One, 2016
Win a €100 Voucher for Duotone Apparel this issue in our FREE subscriber prize draw.
The organizers wish to give a special thanks to the sponsors who support the event every year. In addition to the institutional partners of the Abruzzo Region, Province of L’Aquila, the Municipality of Roccaraso and Rivisondoli, we would like to thank the main sponsors of the event. First of all, the Municipality of Roccaraso, which has supported the event for over 5 years, AmicoBlu, Italian leader in the rental of vans – who have made available to the organization a commercial vehicle for logistical support. The van, in fact, will allow the organizers to follow the athletes in the various race fields the Alto Sangro Skipass Consortium which offers athletes the opportunity to access the competition fields and provide logistic and safety services for the competition, Banca del Credito Cooperativo di Romaand the IKA, Intenational Kiteboarding Association, for the methodological contribution and Race management.The technical partners, Ozone kites, Flysurfer kiteboarding, HQ Powerkites, Mancini Sport, la Clinica dello Sci, web portal Kiteordie and Mountain Lab deserve special mention.
We want to mention the local sponsors, the DMC Alto Sangro and its network of hotels that have facilitated the athletes with special rates, the Sportvillage Hotel and the Hotel Paradiso Aremogna who have agreed to host some members of the staff, the network of chalets in the ski area Neve e Gusto, La Vecchia Pesa restaurant, the Grizzly Team that follows all the stages of the event with snow quads, the chalet Lago D’avoli and Tesone Pubblicità that rapidly provides necessary advertising material and finally the communication partners who play an essential role to increase the visibility of the event the MooComunicazione, for the creative and visual part, RideUp, the photographer Luigi Tassi at his first year with us but who will surprise for the quality of his shots and the portal Kiteforum.com and Skitealpers.com.
More information, registration and Notice of Race can be found at snowkiteworldcup.com.
