Alpine Skiing World Cup: Sudden Turn of Events—Federica Brignone and Sofia Goggia Are Also Affected
Federica Brignone and Sofia Goggia are also closely monitoring what is happening on the organizational front in the World Cup: In fact, the FIS has officially announced the cancellation of the Narvik leg in Norway, which was scheduled to host a downhill and a Super-G in March 2027, offering important points just a few days before the Sun Valley finals.
The decision was made by the local organizing committee following a comprehensive assessment of the risks associated with completing the infrastructure needed to host a World Cup event. The Norwegian resort is engaged in a major modernization project in preparation for the 2029 World Championships, and despite the progress made, it was deemed too risky to guarantee that the facility would be fully operational by the required deadline in the spring of 2027.
This was confirmed by FIS Race Director Peter Gerdol, who explained that the Federation cannot afford any margin of uncertainty for an event on the top international circuit. At the same time, Narvik has provided reassurance that the withdrawal in no way affects its ambitions regarding the organization of the 2029 World Championships.
The news also closely affects the two leading stars of Italian skiing. Sofia Goggia, in fact, has laid the foundation for an extraordinary career in the speed disciplines, winning Olympic gold in the downhill in 2018, as well as World Championship medals and World Cup titles in those disciplines. Federica Brignone could also be affected by a change in the calendar. The athlete from Valle d’Aosta, who has always been competitive in the speed events, has built her successes in the overall World Cup standings thanks to her ability to achieve top-level results in the speed disciplines as well.
For this reason, the cancellation of the races in Narvik could have a significant impact on the balance of the season, especially if the two events are not rescheduled. The International Ski Federation and the Norwegian Ski Federation are, however, already working to identify an alternative venue.
Among the most frequently mentioned possibilities is Kvitfjell, a resort that will host the men’s races the previous weekend and could therefore leverage an organizational infrastructure already in place to welcome athletes, coaches, media, and fans. At the moment, however, no official decision has been made, and the Italian champions are also awaiting further news.
