Val D’Isere Announces Criterium De La Premiere Neige 2017 Programme For December 9 To 17

In less than a month’s time the world’s best skiers will throw themselves down the wickedly steep Face de Bellevarde in the opening event of the 62nd Critérium de la Première Neige. The annual festival that traditionally marks the start of the European ski season will take place over two weekends: Mens’s Giant Slalom on December 9 and 10, and then Women’s Downhill on December 16 and 17.

Snow conditions look promising. Right now there’s 20cm in the village and 45cm at 3000m and it’s snowing. The temperature is a chilly -7C which is ideal for snowmaking.

Celebrations begin on the evening of Friday, December 8 with the draw for start numbers for the GS. This will be followed by a concert featuring Belgian star Loic Nottet, sponsored by radio station RTL2.

On the morning of Saturday, December 9 spectators will line the foot of the Face de
Bellevarde to watch the first of the World Cup events.

This weekend also looks towards the next generation of ski racers, with the second edition of the Kids’ Critérium, Rossignol’s Youth Heroes competition and Your First World Cup, sponsored by the Banque Populaire, take place over the weekend.
On Saturday, December 9, key figures of the ski industry get together for an evening themed around The Ski Resort of the Future, animated by Smart Traffik.

The weekend is also an opportunity for some exceptional fine dining. VIP guests will enjoy meals created by Michelin chefs. The resort’s own celebrity chefs will also play their part in a private evening of gastronomy to mark the opening of the Critérium.

Quality is now the watchword for the annual festival. « Over several years the Critérium has upped its game. The standards that we impose on ourselves are some of the highest on the World Cup circuit, « says organizer Vincent Jay, who is a Olympic champion and director of the Club des Sports.

“It’s never easy to improve on an event or a product that’s 62 years old! Nevertheless, this year we’ve simplified accreditation and today we’re up there on level terms with the very best organizers of such events.”

Friday, December 8:
PROGRAMME OF EVENTS
17.30 - Show in town and the draw for GS start numbers
19.30 - Concert «Très très privé» by RTL2 Loic Nottet. Tickets from the Tourist Office and the Club des Sports are free. The number of places is limited.

S aturday, Dec ember 9 : Men’s Giant Sl alom
09.30 - First run
12.30 - Second run
17.30 - Show in town and start number draw for the Men’s Slalom. Private gala evening for key ski industry professionals on the theme of Ski Resort of the Future
Throughout the day - Kids’ Critérium, Your First World Cup with the Banque Populaire, Rossignol’s Youth Hero World Cup

Sunday, December 10: Men’ s Slalom
09.30 - Men’s Slalom first run
12.30 - Top 30 compete in second run, followed by prize-giving at the bottom of the course Throughout the day: Kids’ Critérium, Your First World Cup with the Banque Populaire, Rossignol’s Youth Hero World Cup

Thursday, December 14:
10.30 - Women’s first downhill training run

Friday, December 15:
10.30 - Women’s second training run
17.30 - Show in town and the draw for start numbers

Saturday, December 16:
10.30 - Women’s downhill
17.30 - Draw for start numbers for the
Super G
18.00 - Prize-giving

Sunday, December 17
10.30 - Women’s Super G, followed by prize-giving