Kvitfjell ( no, White mountain) is a
ski resort
A ski resort is a resort developed for skiing, snowboarding, and other winter sports. In Europe, most ski resorts are towns or villages in or adjacent to a ski area – a mountainous area with pistes (ski trails) and a ski lift system. In North ...
in
Norway
Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and t ...
, located in the municipality of
Ringebu
is a municipality in Innlandet county, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Gudbrandsdal. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Vålebru (the village is also known as ''Ringebu'').
The municipality i ...
.
Developed for the
1994 Winter Olympics
The 1994 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XVII Olympic Winter Games ( no, De 17. olympiske vinterleker; nn, Dei 17. olympiske vinterleikane) and commonly known as Lillehammer '94, was an international winter multi-sport event held fro ...
in
Lillehammer
Lillehammer () is a municipality in Innlandet county, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Gudbrandsdal. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Lillehammer. Some of the more notable villages in the municip ...
, it is one of the most modern resorts in the world, with
snowmaking
Snowmaking is the production of snow by forcing water and pressurized air through a "snow gun", also known as a "snow cannon". Snowmaking is mainly used at ski resorts to supplement natural snow. This allows ski resorts to improve the reliabilit ...
on 80% of the
alpine
Alpine may refer to any mountainous region. It may also refer to:
Places Europe
* Alps, a European mountain range
** Alpine states, which overlap with the European range
Australia
* Alpine, New South Wales, a Northern Village
* Alpine National Pa ...
piste
A ''piste'' () is a marked ski run or path down a mountain for snow skiing, snowboarding, or other mountain sports.
This European term is French s. Based near the river
Gudbrandsdalslågen
The Gudbrandsdalslågen (or simply ''Lågen'') is a river which flows through the Gudbrandsdal valley in Innlandet county, Norway. The long river runs through a large valley in Eastern Norway before emptying into Mjøsa, the largest lake in Norw ...
, the resort offers 23
piste
A ''piste'' () is a marked ski run or path down a mountain for snow skiing, snowboarding, or other mountain sports.
This European term is French s: 5 green (nursery), 9 blue (beginner), 6 red (intermediate), and 3 black (advanced). Kvitfjell is also home to a
terrain park
A terrain park or snow park is an outdoor recreation area containing terrain that allows skiers, snowboarders and snowbikers to perform tricks. Terrain parks have their roots in skateparks and many of the features are common to both.
From their ...
and of
cross-country
Cross country or cross-country may refer to:
Places
* Cross Country, Baltimore, a neighborhood in northwest Baltimore, Maryland
* Cross County Parkway, an east–west parkway in Westchester County, NY
* Cross County Shopping Center, a mall in Yo ...
pistes, with access to extra in
Skei and
Gålå
Gålå is a village in Sør-Fron Municipality in Innlandet county, Norway. The village is located in the Gudbrandsdal valley, about to the southwest of the village of Hundorp. Gålå is located on the eastern shore of the lake Gålåvatnet.
G ...
.
Alpine ski racing
1994 Winter Olympics
Kvitfjell is probably best known for hosting the men's and women's alpine speed events at the
1994 Winter Olympics
The 1994 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XVII Olympic Winter Games ( no, De 17. olympiske vinterleker; nn, Dei 17. olympiske vinterleikane) and commonly known as Lillehammer '94, was an international winter multi-sport event held fro ...
.
Tommy Moe
Thomas Sven Moe (born February 17, 1970) is a former World Cup alpine ski racer from the United States. An Olympic gold and silver medalist in 1994, he specialized in the speed events of downhill and super G.
Early years
Born in Missoula, Mon ...
, an
American
American(s) may refer to:
* American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America"
** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America
** American ancestry, pe ...
of Norwegian descent, edged out home favorite
Kjetil André Aamodt
Kjetil André Aamodt (born 2 September 1971) is a former World Cup alpine ski racer from Norway, a champion in the Olympics, World Championships, and World Cup. He is one of the most successful alpine ski racers from Norway.
Biography
Born in ...
of Norway by 0.04 seconds in the
downhill
Downhill may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* ''Downhill'' (1927 film), a British film by Alfred Hitchcock
* ''Downhill'' (2014 film), a British comedy directed by James Rouse
* ''Downhill'' (2016 film), a Chilean thriller directed by Patrici ...
,
then was edged out by
Markus Wasmeier
Markus Wasmeier (; born 9 September 1963 is a former World Cup alpine ski racer from Germany. He was world champion and twice Olympic champion.
At the 1985 World Championships at Bormio, Italy, he won the Giant Slalom at age 21, before recor ...
of
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
by 0.08 seconds in the
Super G.
Katja Seizinger
Katja Seizinger (; born 10 May 1972) is a former World Cup alpine ski racing champion, Germany's most successful alpine skier.
Biography
Born in Datteln, North Rhine-Westphalia, Seizinger won three Olympic gold and two bronze medals, and won e ...
of Germany won the
women's downhill with
Picabo Street
Picabo Street (; born 3 April 1971) is an American former World Cup alpine ski racer and Olympic gold medalist. She won the super G at the 1998 Winter Olympics and the downhill at the 1996 World Championships, along with three other Olympic a ...
of the
U.S.
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...
a distant second;
Diann Roffe
Diann Roffe (born March 24, 1967), also known as Diann Roffe-Steinrotter, is a former World Cup alpine ski racer and Olympic gold medalist from the United States.
Early life
Roffe was born in Warsaw, New York and learned to ski at tiny ...
of the U.S. took gold in the
Super G. The technical alpine events (
giant slalom
Giant slalom (GS) is an alpine skiing and alpine snowboarding discipline. It involves skiing between sets of poles ("gates") spaced at a greater distance from each other than in slalom but less than in Super-G.
Giant slalom and slalom make up t ...
and
slalom
To slalom is to zigzag between obstacles. It may refer to:
Sports
;Alpine skiing and/or snowboarding
* Slalom skiing, an alpine skiing and alpine snowboarding discipline
* Giant slalom, an alpine skiing and alpine snowboarding discipline
* Super-G ...
) were held at
Hafjell
Hafjell is a village and a ski resort in Norway, in the Øyer municipality in the county of Oppland.
Hafjell hosted the alpine skiing technical events ( giant slalom and slalom) at the 1994 Winter Olympics; the speed events were held at Kvitfje ...
.
World Cup
Kvitfjell is a regular stop on the
World Cup
A world cup is a global sporting competition in which the participant entities – usually international teams or individuals representing their countries – compete for the title of world champion. The event most associated with the concept i ...
circuit, hosting men's speed events late in the season, and debuted in March
1993
File:1993 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The Oslo I Accord is signed in an attempt to resolve the Israeli–Palestinian conflict; The Russian White House is shelled during the 1993 Russian constitutional crisis; Czechoslovakia is peace ...
. The downhill course begins just below the summit and is slightly over in length.
Designed by
Bernhard Russi
Bernhard Russi (born 20 August 1948) is a former World Cup alpine ski racer from Switzerland. Born in Andermatt in the canton of Uri, he is an Olympic, World Cup, and World champion in the downhill event.[2020
2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, social and Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of events, COVID- ...]
.
References
External links
* '
Piste Maps- Kvitfjell
{{Ski World Cup pistes
Geography of Innlandet
Olympic alpine skiing venues
Ski areas and resorts in Norway
Venues of the 1994 Winter Olympics