Zagreb

This year, the female slalom was held on January 3rd, while the male slalom will be held three days later during night.  Both events at the Audi FIS World Cup “VIP Snow Queen Trophy 2010” will be held on Sljeme, the tallest peak of the Medvednica mountain overlooking Zagreb.

Since the first year of the World Cup visiting Zagreb, the Sljeme race  has provided an excellent trail and superior organisation and has been one of the most generous when it comes to the awards, but it is best known for the unique atmosphere, created before during and after the events, by the great number of the audience, ski-enthusiasts from Zagreb and other parts of Croatia, cheering for all skiers with the same enthusiasm.

The Sljeme races are also special as they are held in close proximity to a city. Zagreb is the only European metropolis hosting the “world ski circus” in its back yard. It should be pointed out that that the Zagreb race had the highest TV viewership out of all the FIS world cup races. This was in Germany, with 4.72 million viewers of the women’s race on the ZDF TV broadcaster and 4.67 million viewers of the men’s race on the ARD TV broadcaster.

Brother and sister Ivica and Janica Kostelic, have made their first ski steps on Sljeme. In her career, Janica has won a total of 30 FIS World Cup races, three Crystal globes and three small globes as the slalom winner. She is a five-time world-champion, and is one of the rare athletes who have won as many as four Olympic gold medals at the Olympics in Salt Lake City in 2002 and Torino in 2006. Her brother Ivica is still successfully participating in the World Cup, in which he has won one of the medals nine times. He has also won the small crystal globe as the overall slalom winner, but his biggest success is the title of the slalom world champion in St Moritz in 2003 and winning the silver medal at the Winter Olympics in Torino in 2006.

Medvednica is a nature park, that is, with its highest peak Sljeme (1,033 m), the favourite excursion destination of Zagreb locals, who use it to run away to nature, relaxation and recreation. In the winter, Medvednica offers its visitors opportunities to ski, sledge and enjoy the fresh air and winter idyll. In the summer, it attracts many visitors on account of its much more pleasant climate, with temperatures several degrees lower than in the city. Medvednica offers 11 mountaineers’ lodge huts, two hotels and 8 hospitality facilities, 15 bicycle trails with a total of 110 km in length and four educational paths. Here is also the cave Veternica which was proclaimed a protected geomorphological monument of nature in 1979. The entry into the cave is located at 320 m above sea-level. The overall length of the until-now explored canals is 7,218 m. The first 380 meters have been adapted for visitors. Visitors can get to know the mysterious underground of Medvednica through a tour of the mine Zrinski.

Mining on Medvednica, in the area of the “Rudarski vrt” (“the mining garden”) dates back to 1463 when king Matija Korvin granted the royal mining benefits to count Petar Zrinski. These benefits allowed Zrinski and his heirs to open gold, silver and other mines on their estates. This benefit enabled the Zrinski to mine on Medvednica.

Medvednica Nature Park www.pp-medvednica.hr VIP Snow Queen Trophy www.zlatnimedvjed.hrVIP Snow Queen Trophy www.snowqueentrophy.com

The competitions will be held on Sljeme, the highest point of Mount Medvednica during the night.

Women’s slalom at the Audi FIS World Cup “VIP Snow Queen Trophy 2009” will be held on January 4, while the men skiers’ competition will be held on January 6, with both races taking place at night.

Except excellent trail and top organisation, the World Cup is traditionally known for unique atmosphere created with the city interaction, its inhabitants and the participants of the competition.

Zagreb is one of the rare European capitals having a park near the city centre which can be walked to. Mount Medvednica and its highest point – Sljeme (1033 metres)  are an interesting destination for Zagreb inhabitants and their guests in winter and summer. With great choices for rest and recreation, Sljeme attracts during the summer months because of considerably more pleasant climate and temperatures several degrees lower than in the city.

During winter, Sljeme is a place for skiing, sledding and enjoying fresh air and winter idyll. Regardless of the weather, Zagreb residents and their guests use every free moment for escaping to nature, but also for the enjoyment in the catering contents. On Sljeme, there are many accommodation objects and the catering is well-known with many local specialities.

Because of the intimate emotional connection between Zagreb and Sljeme, the residents host the skiing elite with a heartfelt welcome and they cheer on all the skiers equally. Read more at  www.zlatnimedvjed.hr and find more about Skiing in Croatia

This year the world’s top women skiers will be joined at the Audi World Cup Snow Queen Trophy event by the world’s top men’s skiers.

The women’s event will be held Friday, 15 February 2008, while the men’s event is slate for Sunday, 17 February 2008. Along with these two official races, Sunday will also see the Zagreb Ski Legends humanitarian race. The parallel giant slalom will pool sixteen ski legends including Alberto Tomba, Marco Girardello, Franz Klammer, Janica Kostelic, Vreni Schneider and Michael Dorfmeister.

Donations from the humanitarian race will be presented to the Special Hospital for Chronic Children’s Illnesses in Gornja Bistra.

And like last year, when the event drew over fifteen thousand viewers, the organizers will provide, along with an excellent
ski race, entertainment and free transportation, food and drink, concerts and a raffle for ticket holders.

A diverse entertainment program kicks of Thursday, February 14th and runs through to the 17th on Zagreb’s Ban Jelacic Square featuring DJ’s and raffles and will also have a giant video wall with live action from the three races on Sljeme.

More info on www.croski.hr  + Skiing and Snowboarding in Croatia

From today onwards, the Bjelolasica and Tintilinić ski resorts will be opened daily from 9 am to 4pm.

The prices for ski day pass are 80 kuna (Children – 30 kuna)

About Bjelolasica Ski Resort:

Bjelolasica is the highest mountain in the Velika Kapela massif, and indeed in the whole of Gorski kotar.

It extends in the form of a simple ridge, 5-6 km in length, with very steep slopes sweeping down from the wide forested plateau between Mrkopaljsko polje and Jasenacko polje.

The steep slopes are covered in forests interspaced with meadows, each more beautiful than the last.

The Croatian Olympic Center, situated at 620m above sea level, offers 7 groomed ski runs.

For more information: www.bjelolasica.hr + Skiing and Snowboarding in Croatia

 Gorski kotar, a highland region located North of Kvarner coast of Croatia, is attractive tourist resort for winter sport enthusiasts.

As we are approaching winter breaks, Gorski Kotar, with its growing number of highland ski trails, is an ideal place for skiing holiday in Croatia.

Petehovac ski resort, located near Delnice, features Alpine and Nordic skiing trails, ski tows and a small ski jump. There are three ski resorts on offer in the area of the small town of Mrkopalj, allowing skiers to enjoy the terrain of Begovo Razdolje, situated at about 1100 metres above sea level. Celimbaše grounds, with some three kilometres of maintained ski trials and four kilometre long trail of the Zagmajna Biathlon Centre are also in near vicinity.

In the village of Tršce, home of the Rudnik ski resort, skiers can ski on two trails and on cross-country skiing trails.

Similar trails are maintained in the area surrounding Ravna Gora, where there are other grounds available suited for sledding, children’s activities on the snow. Trails have been set up there for recreational skiing and night skiing.

Skiers can try their hand at the Platak ski resort’s trails where some nine kilometres of trails are maintained with five ski lifts, a children’s ski lift and a cable car. The resort offers guests ski and snowboard lessons and cross-country skiing and hiking.

Under the highest peak in Gorski kotar on the southeastern part of Mount Bjelolasica (1534 m) is the largest winter sports centre in Croatia, the Bjelolasica Olympic Centre, with trails for all types of skiers – from beginners to top-trained recreational skiers.

More info Gorski Kotar and more links to various resorts - Gorski Kotar Travel Directory + Skiing in Croatia into page.