December 17, 2026 09:00
The winter season in the Val di Fassa/Carezza ski area officially kicks off with the Parallel Giant Slalom World Cup on the famous "Pra di Tori" slope at Costalunga Pass
Two riders, two parallel courses and just over a minute to decide it all. On Thursday 17 December, the Snowboard World Cup returns to Passo Costalunga, on the Pra di Tori slope, for the fourth round of the season. On the programme are two parallel giant slalom races, men's and women's, with the sport's top riders ready to battle it out on the slopes of the Val di Fassa/Carezza ski area. Here, simply going fast isn't enough. You need to find the right line straight away, hold your edge, push hard on the exit and not give your opponent even a fraction of a second's advantage. A gate taken a few centimetres too wide, a delayed edge change, a minor slip-up: in parallel racing, that can be enough to lose the duel.
Pra di Tori is a venue the World Cup stars know well, prized for the quality of the piste preparation and its well-oiled organisation. The Catinaccio and Latemar mountains provide the backdrop, but when the starting gate drops, all eyes are on the two courses and the timing board.
And if you happen to be skiing in Carezza that day, it's well worth stopping by the side of the piste. The runs are short, the competition is immediate, and you don't need to be an expert to understand what's happening: two riders set off together; one goes through to the next round. And then it's back to the starting gate, right through to the finals.
Last year, the men's race produced an all-Italian podium, with Roland Fischnaller ahead of Aaron March and Mirko Felicetti from Moena. In the women's event, Austria's Sabine Payer took the win; she went on to win silver at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics.
Event schedule - Pra di Tori finish area. Wednesday, 16 December:
- 1:30 pm - Handover of cabins to the winners of the 2025 edition
- 6:00 pm - Opening ceremony and bib draw
Event schedule - Pra di Tori finish area. Thursday, 17 December:
- 9:00 am - Women's and men's qualification runs
- 12:30 pm - Knockout finals
- around 2:00/2:30 pm - Awards ceremony
- followed by - Aftershow
Admission is free.
