Bormio. February 22, 2014
Yesterday the eighteenth edition of the English Alpine Champs ended counting about 400 athletes who took part to the races on the slopes Stelvio and Stella Alpina. Competitions started on February 16 and saw participation of 60 British children U10, 160 from 11 to 14-year-old and 120 FIS athletes from Great Britain plus about a hundred from other foreign countries.
This sports event has arrived to the fifth consecutive edition in Alta Valtellina becoming a preferential route to the British touristic stream towards Bormio. On the base of data we were given the "English week" has brought into Bormio more than 1,000 tourists from Great Britain - 250 were in Santa Caterina Valfurva - who booked their stay through travel agency. We also estimate other 500 people - mostly families - who made a reservation for a week in the "Magnifica Terra" (Magnificent Land) without the passage of a travel agency. Those numbers show the touristic success of this event which has brought here several families and school groups from across the Channel. British are not surprisingly in love with skiing and the proof is given from all the many active ski clubs and the modern structures they use to practise skiing, like indoor arenas or grass skiing fields. The Champs act also as a springboard for professionalism: Dave Ryding - last year European champion and previous English Alpine Champion - was today competing at Olympic Slalom at Sochi.
Bormio Ski would like to thank all the British guests and in particular the Organizing Committee of the Champs hoping to collaborate again for the next winter season. A special thanks goes out to the Bormio Ski staff which, despite snow, rain and adverse conditions, was able to carry out all the races.
©Bormio Ski Press
