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  Speed skiing
 

This winter the Vars resort is getting back on the international circuit in organising a world cup, before hosting the most prestigious competition: the world championships which will take place in 2009.



Vars is renewing with the international event of Speed skiing and back to the foreground by organising the world championships 2009 of speed skiing which requires a prologue in 2008, from 29th january  to february 2nd.

 
 

VARS JANUARY 2009 : 
  SPEED SKIING WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

   VARS JANUARY 2008:
   SPEED SKIING WORLD CUP

 

            

     
            COUPE DU MONDE DE SKI DE VITESSE 
            VARS- Piste mythique de Chabrières
                  29 JANVIER - 2 FEVRIER 2008




Vars renoue avec les compétitions internationales de ski de vitesse et reprend le devant de la scène mondiale en organisant les championnats du monde 2009 de ski de vitesse.

Un challenge  qui necessite un prologue en 2008: Du 29 Janvier au 2 février 2008.

1ère étape de la coupe du monde de ski de vitesse, cette compétition réunira les meilleurs skieurs de vitesse mondiaux.

Un plateau réunissant les meilleurs performers est présent: L'Italien Simone Origone, champion du monde 2007 et le plus rapide du monde depuis 2006 (251.40 km/h); le suisse Philippe May, vice champion du monde et le français Bastien Montes, 3ème meilleur skieur mondial se retrouveront sur la mythique piste de Chabrières.
Chez les femmes, la championne du monde Sanna Tidstrand (Suède), Sachs Tracie (USA) et la française Karine Dubouchet seront également au rendez vous.
Jennifer Romano (france) reprèsentera les couleurs du département des Hautes Alpes.

Près de 10 nations (Tchèques, francais, suisses, autrichiens, suèdois, espagnols, américains, hollandais, italiens, anglais...), et une cinquantaine de coureurs sont présent lors de cet évènement.


                           PROGRAMME


Lundi 28:
Accueil des coureurs à l'office de tourisme

Mardi 29: Accueil des coureurs
               Entraînements libres
               19h00: Comité de course suivi d'un
               apéritif de bienvenue avec le 
               comité d'organisation, les coureurs, les 
               sherpas et les accompagnants

Mercredi 30: Entraînements obligatoires à 10h30
               1er run de course à 12h30

Jeudi 31 : 1er Run de course à 10h30
                 2ème run de course à 12h30

Vendredi 1:  demi finale et finale
                  16h00: remise des prix

Samedi 2: journée de repli



               + info pour vous héberger   


             le programme peut être modifié
             en fonction des conditions climatiques     



                     SPEED SKIING WORLD CUP
       VARS - MYTHICAL TRACK OF CHABRIERES
             January 29th to February 2nd 2008



Vars is renewing with the international event of Speed Skiing and is back to the foreground by organizing the world championships 2009 of Speed Ski.

The forthcoming 2009 event is a challenge which requires a prologue in 2008, from January 29th to February 2nd.

Being the 1st stage of the coming world championships, this competition will bring together the best world speed skiers.


World champion 2007 Simone Origone (ITA), fastest of the world since 2006 (recordman with 251.40km/h), vice champion Philippe May (SWI) and 3rd best world skier Bastien Montes (FRA), will meet on the mythical slope of Chabrières.


Among women, world champion Sanna Tidstrand (SWE), Sachs Tracie (USA) and Karine Dubouchet (FRA), will also stand on the race track start and Jennifer Romano (FRA) will play for the Hautes-Alpes region.


About 10 nationalities (Czech, French, Swiss, Austrian, Swedish, Spanish, American, Deutch, Italian, English...) and  50 racers are attending this event.



                                    SCHEDULE


Monday 28th: Welcoming of the racers at the 
                            tourism Information Center

Tuesday 29th: Welcoming of the racers
                      Free Training
                      19.00: Racing committee followed
                      with welcome drink with the 
                      organization committee, the racers, 
                      accompanying persons and  
                      sherpa people

Wednesday 30th: Official training run at 10h30
                    First race run at 12h30

Thursday 31st: 1st race run at 10h30
                     2nd race run at 12h30

Friday 1st: 1/2 final and final
                  4.00 PM: awards ceremony

Saturday 2nd: wheather day


The schedule may be modified depending on weather conditions.
                  
           + info for accomodation and booking

                 


 
                                                             The Speed Skiing World Cup in photos......

                                                             Pedestrian access to the speed skiing piste .............


  

 

  • Speed skiing, birth of the discipline

 

 

At the end of the 80s', Vars discovers a natural lane favourable for this sport's practice. At the beginning of the 90s', the resort organises several high speed competitions with a few records over 200km/h. With a maximal slope at 98%, the piste of Chabrières becomes the world's most impressive piste. In 1992, during the first international competition on the piste of Chabrières, Vars enters speed skiing history: For over 10 years, men and women have come from all around the world to bring us some unique moments, great performances have followed one after another, incredible speed records have been made on this legendary piste.

 

  • Records distory on Vars piste

 

 

1992 : First world record at 230.179, performed by Philippe Billy who went over the mythical limit of 230km/h for the first time on Vars piste
 

1994 : First attempt of speed mountain biking performance by Christian Taillefer at 147.170 km/h

 

1995 : The piste of Chabrières enters speed skiing history by breaking all the records. 
 

Men's record:Jeff Hamilton 241.448 km/h
Women's record: Karine Dubouchet 225 km/h
Monoski record: Xavier Cousseau 187.695 km/h 
Snowboard record : Sébastien Jaubert 187.402 km/h 
Mountain biking record : Christian Taillefer 178 km/h

 

Since this date, a lot of records have been broken on this piste so auspicious for speed skiing.

Last speed records attained :

Speed skiing Men: Simone ORIGONE - Italy - 251,400 Km/h Les Arcs (Fra) 19/04/2006

Speed skiing Women: Sanna TIDSTRAND - Sweden - 242,590 Km/h Les Arcs (Fra) 19/04/2006

Monoski : Xavier COUSSEAU - France - 212,260 Km/h Les Arcs (Fra) 19/04/2006

Snowboard : Daren POWELL - Australia - 201,907 Km/h Les Arcs (Fra) 02/05/1999

 

  • Characteristics of the piste of Chabrières

 


Length
 : 1220 m
Height difference : 495 m
Starting altitude: 2715m
Arrival's altitude: 2220 m 
Maximum slope: 98 %
Average slope: 52.50 %
Minimum slope: 10 %



The piste is divided into 3 areas :

- Launching area (to gain speed) 450 m

- Top speed recording area where cells at 100m distances measure the time by the thousandth second.
- Run-out area (to slow down and come to a stop) 850 m

 

   
  • The quality of snow plowing (over 200h) and the meticulous preparation of the piste also contribute to its international reputation.
  • Its layout and its acoustics allow the audience to follow the competition from the beginning to the end: a show with great sensations.

 

  • The arrival area at 200m of the cable car is accessible by a path for pedestrians .