The best riders in the world will compete in the mountains of the Alto Sangro ski area at SnowKite WorldCup from 24th to 27th of January. The event is a part of a world tour promoted by IKA (International Kiteboarding Association), member of World Sailing, and in collaboration with FIS (International Ski Federation) on individual snowkite events.

The World Cup discipline will be Formula GPS - a freeride competition format in which competitors collect points based on distance, height difference and area covered. The event will be accompanied by Course Racing and Long Distance if conditions allow.

Using of the innovative GPS formula

The leg of Roccaraso, in the Alto Sangro ski area, is organized by A.S.D Outdoor 360 and the snowkite school in Roccaraso, SnowkiteRoccaraso.com. The particularity of the event in Roccaraso is the innovative GPS formula: the athletes are equipped with a tracking system that constantly records their movements and a software that evaluates their performances. The riders will be called to achieve, in 60-minute race sessions, more kilometers, more variations in height and more distance from a starting point. Therefore there are no more pre-established routes but total freedom of their choices. An innovation in contrast with the classic regattas that use buoys to delimit the competition area. The choice of the GPS format required the creation of a dedicated software that the organizers believe should be extended to other disciplines. In addition to the GPS system, athletes must bring with them an avalanche transceiver, snow shovel and probe to ensure maximum safety. To prevent risks, during everyday’s riders meetings, the organizers will report areas with dangers and steepest slopes.

Athletes skills

The mountainous areas are by nature subject to greater variations in wind direction and intensity due to the change of altitude. Within a few meters riders can have good wind conditions but also none at all. Therefore the skills of the best athletes consists not only in speed and courage but in the ability to correctly interpret these variations and by choosing paths with the best weather conditions. Niccolò de Simone - organizer of the event - explains the rules: "Rules are simple: travel in a given unit of time more kilometers, more variations in altitude and more overall perimeter coverage through the use of a GPS. These means maximum freedom of movement and the possibility to choose one's own path". The motivations and objectives related to the organization of the Snowkite World Championship in the Alto Sangro ski area - says Niccolò de Simone - is the desire to offer companies innovative formats related to emerging and spectacular disciplines but also the search to get out of the traditional sponsorship schemes to create an event with a race format which is appreciated by athletes, two essential elements for the success of the event. For the Mayor of Roccaraso, Francesco Di Donato, the Snowkite World Championship "represents a further opportunity to measure our ability to host a sport event that will show our area worldwide. Moreover, it is a sport that is followed with great attention by young people who represent a market segment on which we are making the most important efforts in terms of tourism promotion".

Why the choice of the Alto Sangro ski area

 
"The location of the event is of fundamental importance - explains the president of the Skipass Alto Sangro Consortium, Bonaventura Margadonna - we have always hosted competitions of international level and we are convinced that this world championship represents an extraordinary opportunity for us to showcase the potential of our area and our facilities”. The Alto Sangro ski area is in fact particularly suitable for snowkiting for the conformity of the mountains. There are in fact large areas with slopes not too steep and with no trees which are essential conditions for the practice of snowkiting in a safe environment. In addition, the presence of efficient and well-distributed ski lifts allow a very rapid movement in the various race areas.

The different Race Areas

The organization will identify the different locations of the event day by day. Amongst the possible race areas there are the Cinque Miglia plain, Vallefredda, Toppe del Tesoro and Monte Pratello. All info and communications will be given on the Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/snowkiteroccaraso/.

Race Schedule

Wednesday 23
20.00 – 22. 30 pre - registration at the Roccaraso main square "the Connery" 
Phone number for registration Cristina Corsi 00393472427650

Thursday 24
9.00 - 1100- registration al Pratello. 
12.00 to 16.00 - First Race 
16.00 to 18.00 - Apres ski in Lago d'Avoli 
Until 19.30 - Upload gpx file and email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
21.00 Ranking and complains

Friday 25
9.00 Rider meeting at Pratello 
10.00 to 16.00 - Race 
16.00 to 18.00 - Apres ski in Lago d'Avoli 
Until 19.30 - Upload gpx file and email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
21.00 Ranking and complains

Saturday, 26
9.00 Rider meeting at pizzalto. 
10.00 to 16.00 - Race 
16.00 to 18.00 - Apres ski in Lago d'Avoli 
Until 19.30 - Upload gpx file and email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
21.00 Ranking and complains 
22.00 Party TBD

Sunday, 27
9.00: Rider meeting at Pizzalto
10.00 Race start
13.00 End of the race.
13.30 Upload GPX file and send to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
14.30 Price giving ceremony at Pizzalto

Event Sponsors

The organizers wish to give a special thanks to the sponsors who support the event every year. In addition to the institutional partners of the Abruzzo Region, Province of L'Aquila, the Municipality of Roccaraso and Rivisondoli. We would like to thank the Main sponsors of the event. First of all, the Municipality of Roccaraso, which has supported the event for over 5 years, AmicoBlu, Italian leader in the rental of vans - which has made available to the organization a commercial vehicle for logistical support. The van, in fact, will be transformed into a moving   that will allow the organizers to follow the athletes in the various race fields the Alto Sangro Skipass Consortium which offers athletes the opportunity to access the competition fields and provide logistic and safety services for the competition, Banca del Credito Cooperativo di Roma and the IKA, Intenational Kiteboarding Association, for the methodological contribution and Race management.The technical partners, Ozone kites, Flysurfer kiteboarding, HQ Powerkites, Mancini Sport, la Clinica dello Sci, Mountain Lab deserve special mention.

We want to mention the local sponsors, the DMC Alto Sangro and its network of hotels that have facilitated the athletes with special rates Neve e Gusto, La Vecchia Pesa restaurant, the Grizzly Team that follows all the stages of the event with snow quads, the chalet Lago D'avoli MooComunicazione, for the creative and visual part, Skitealpers.com, AbruzzoRotori and 20 side

Contacts

www.snowkiteroccaraso.com