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Spotlight on La VolatA

The name La VolatA pays tribute to Alberto Vendruscolo, a pioneer of the San Pellegrino Ski Area.
Opened in 2017, the course hosts official training sessions as well as World Cup downhill and super-G races. Measuring 2,500 metres in length, with a vertical drop of 630 metres and gradients reaching 47%, La VolatA combines high-speed gliding sections, terrain changes and technical passages that challenge even the world's best female speed specialists.

La VolatA is designed for the World Cup speed events. Downhill and super-G share the same course but feature different start points, layouts and technical demands. Here's how the course changes between the two race formats.

Technical data - Downhill

The longest and most complete version of La VolatA. A textbook black run, from the fast opening gliding sections to the demanding middle sector, where speed calls for total concentration and a cool head. Line choice becomes crucial, and every turn can make the difference.

Descent 2.500m

Height difference 630m

Departure altitude 2.510m

Arrival altitude 1.880m

Technical data - Super-G

A shorter but highly technical configuration, where reading the terrain and choosing the right line are decisive from start to finish. It demands composure, precise ski control, the ability to read changes in gradient and anticipate every movement. Here, every hundredth of a second counts.

Descent 2.400m

Height difference 600m

Departure altitude 2.480m

Arrival altitude 1.880m

From the start beside the top station of the Col Margherita cable car, athletes immediately tackle the "Muro Alberto", a 190-metre pitch with a gentle right-hand curve that allows them to build speed before reaching "Pian del Fabion". Along this fast gliding section, every detail matters, and even a few hundredths of a second can prove decisive.
The first major terrain change comes at the "Muro Manfroi", where a clean line is essential and mistakes come at a high price. The course then bends gently to the right towards "La Piana", leading into the most demanding sector of the run: the "Muri del Poeta". Extending for more than a kilometre, this section features the greatest vertical drop and a succession of technical passages requiring concentration, control and the ability to read the terrain.
The course finishes at the "Dosso del Camoscio", a series of rollers leading into the final schuss towards the finish area at Passo San Pellegrino.
At the most recent Women's World Cup race on La VolatA, Laura Pirovano claimed victory in 1:20.91.