STA, 31 December 2021 - Maribor will not host the Golden Fox event of the women's Alpine Ski World Cup circuit for the third year running due to a lack of snow amid mild weather. The two-day event featuring slalom and giant slalom races has again been moved west to Kranjska Gora.
The organisers of the 58th Golden Fox told the press in Maribor on Friday that the World Cup races would be held on 8 and 9 January in the Kranjska Gora resort, which annually host the men's Alpine Ski World Cup races as part of the Vitranc Cup.
The decision of the International Ski Federation (FIS) comes after it was announced on Thursday that the Golden Fox will not be held on the slopes of Pohorje above Slovenia's second largest city due to insufficient snow cover.
FIS snow controller Markus Mayr expectedly said that the "situation is such that I cannot confirm the competition in Maribor ... due to the whole package of snow conditions, temperature, weather and forecast. This is why I have to cancel it."
Mayr, the director for technical events of the women's Alpine Ski World Cup, said that the "organisers have really put up an effort and gave their best in the given weather situation", adding that "this does not mean we are giving up hope in Maribor."
The event moves for the third time in a row to Kranjska Gora in north-western Slovenia, where it was held this January and in February 2020.
As for future Golden Fox events in Maribor, there is perhaps a silver lining as an alternative piste is being built at a higher altitude. "This will be an excellent new piste, which will add a new quality to recreational and competitive skiing," Mayr said.
Srečko Vilar, the secretary general of the Golden Fox organising committee, said that "this is not easy for us, the weather has not given us a break. We needed a few cold nights more, but we didn't get them. We accept this decision with sadness."
The Podkoren piste in Kranjska Gora will also host on 12 and 13 March two giant slalom events of the World Cup ahead of the 2021/2022 season finale in France's Courchevel/Meribel on 16-20 March.
