World Championships Seefeld 2019. Why Is It Going To Be Special

FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 2029 about to kick off in Austria. We take a look at what sets it apart – and yes, it is not a figure of speech

Total expenditures on preps directly associated with the championship I.e. sports facilities reached some 30 million euros – just 5% over initial budget of 28 million, which is a record low overrun. To be clear, Seefeld proper’s budget is 24 million euros – the rest goes towards preparing Bergisel, the venue of ski jumping competitions. The funding – split between Austrian federal government, the province of Tyrol and town of Seefeld – did not come easy, but it never ever does, so little surprise there.

Comparing budgets of different World Ski Championships is a difficult business, but, put roughly, Seefeld spent over twice as much as Lahti-2017 on getting itself prepared.

Key point: Seefeld designed and built a state-of-the-art artificial snow system that has no rivals in the world: 15km of snow tracks in total. The trick will be to fill the World Championship tracks after the event, as they are way too demanding for an average skier but the organizers clearly have something in mind.

Other figures:

1200 employees and volunteers.

Totally renovated Seefeld train station promising speedy connection to Germany, source of most tourists.

Newly built stadium with capacity for 12000 spectators.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BuCU8Xol9Zx/

At least 9000 “physical “ foreign fans expected to fill those stands. Total expected tickets sold: 150.000

And, if anyone wants to know, 6 temporary additional power station adding some 9000 kilovolt-ampere to the grid

…Circa 700 athletes from some 60 countries vying for 21 medals – of which 12 in cross country skiing.

Conclusion:
The point of all the above is as simple as it is ambitious: not just have the best world championships ever-ever – but to turn Seefeld into a veritable cross-country ski capital of the Alps – and, thus, the whole world.

With improved raiload connections, ( pre-existing) wide choice of hotels to suit any taste and guaranteed snow tracks it might just become the ultimate xcski resort of the XXI century.

But all of that – after the World Championships, the focus of our coverage in the upcoming weeks.

Stay put.