Photo of 2016 Audi FIS World Cup courtesy of Killington Resort.
Vermont Business Magazine Vermont ski and snowboard resorts have joined together to support the hosting of the Women’s Audi FIS Ski World Cup at Killington Resort, a move characteristic of the supportive ski community in Vermont. In Spring of 2017 the Vermont Ski Areas Association (VSAA) Board of Directors, comprised of leadership from nine Vermont resorts, agreed to sponsor the Killington Resort based event with a $50,000 sponsorship contribution.
“The Vermont ski industry is a unique one, where competing interests can be put aside to support common goals for the state of Vermont and our ski industry as a whole given the world stage exposure this event generates,” said VSAA President Parker Riehle. “We are proud to show a united front and welcome racers and visitors to the state together.”
Killington hosted an expectation-shattering inaugural World Cup Weekend during November 2016 that drew an estimated 30,000 spectators, and they intend to carry that momentum into future events. The Vermont Ski Areas Association contribution of $50,000 will help bolster those efforts and hopefully inspire and generate matching funds from other organizations to help defray the costs for Killington Resort.
“Given the enormous benefit of global coverage and attention this event brings to Vermont as the top Eastern ski destination in North America, it was a very welcome proposal,” said Riehle.
“As a VSAA Board member and Okemo Mountain Resort employee, I am proud that VSAA will financially support the hard work that Killington has done to bring this great event to Vermont,” said Okemo Vice President Bruce Schmidt. “The entire state will benefit from this international event as visitors from around the globe experience all that Vermont has to offer both at Killington and neighboring resorts.”
“We are incredibly grateful of the support we’re receiving from our neighboring resorts in Vermont,“ said Killington Resort President Mike Solimano. “This event not only draws people to Killington Resort for the race, but it also shows the world that Vermont is a premier ski destination and a welcoming community. The VSAA contribution only strengthens that message.”
The Women’s Audi FIS Ski World Cup at Killington will take place November 25-26, 2017, Thanksgiving Weekend and include women’s giant slalom and slalom races, attracting athletes such as U.S. Ski Team superstars Julia Mancuso and Mikaela Shiffrin. As with last year’s FIS World Cup, the 2017 and 2018 World Cup races at Killington will be broadcasted worldwide to over 60 nations, along with national broadcast coverage across the US. The event is anticipated to bring millions of dollars in economic impact to the state of Vermont.
Last November’s races in Killington marked the first World Cup in the eastern US since 1991 at Waterville Valley, NH, and the first in Vermont in nearly 40 years, since Stratton Mountain Resort hosted in 1978.
Ski Vermont (Vermont Ski Areas Association) is a proud ambassador of the thriving winter tourism industry in Vermont, where the legislature has designated skiing and snowboarding as the official state sports. Vermont is not only the #1 ski state in the east and among the top destinations in the US, but also reigns supreme in snowmaking quality and coverage, variety of terrain, and historical impact on the sports of skiing and snowboarding - making it one of the most significant ski and ride destinations in the world. Ski Vermont’s mission is to help create a legislative, economic and social environment in which the state’s ski areas can grow and prosper. It serves its 20 Alpine and 30 Nordic member resorts in three major areas: Governmental Affairs, Marketing and Public Relations.
Source: Ski Vermont 9.14.2017