SANTA FE, N.M. — Efforts to revitalize traditional professional alpine ski racing are culminating in a network-televised world championship event planned for April 2020 at Taos Ski Valley in northern New Mexico , organizers said Wednesday.
World Pro Ski Tour CEO Jon Franklin announced the single-elimination, head-to-head competition with a $100,000 purse and competitors including U.S. Olympic gold medalist Ted Ligety.
Invoking the 1980s and 1990s heydey of professional downhill skiing and names such as Phil and Steve Mahre, Franklin said three days of racing will be open to pro tour members, former amateur world champions and Olympic medalists.
“We like our style racing better than World Cup racing because whoever crosses the finish line first wins the race and we can see it,” he said. Qualifying runs will fill a 32-skier bracket. Race formats include giant slalom and “super slalom.”
