The team behind La VolatA: precision, expertise and safety
The success of a World Cup event ultimately depends on the athletes' performance - but peak performance is only possible in perfect conditions. Ensuring those conditions is the task of a highly specialised team working tirelessly behind the scenes.
Approximately 120 professionals are involved in slope preparation and race operations, putting in hundreds of hours of work. The team is coordinated by Race Director Mattia Giongo, a former ski instructor and coach with the Italian national team, who also worked with the US women’s team during Lindsey Vonn’s most successful years.
Il 42enne di Soraga è poi tornato alla base, per mettere la propria esperienza a disposizione della Ski Area San Pellegrino, nel ruolo di referente tecnico dell'aspetto race. Nei giorni delle competizioni, è lui a coordinare i vari responsabili in pista, non prima di aver creato nei mesi precedenti una squadra autonoma e professionale, frutto delle numerose riunioni con le varie componenti. Per la tappa di Coppa del Mondo del 6, 7 e 8 marzo, torneranno buone le esperienze passate, non ultima quella del 2024: in quell'occasione, il grande lavoro svolto fu vanificato dalla troppa neve caduta sul tracciato nelle giornate di gara.
The 42-year-old from Soraga has since returned to Val di Fassa, where he now serves as technical race coordinator for the San Pellegrino Ski Area. In the months leading up to the event, he assembled and trained an autonomous, highly professional team through extensive planning and coordination. During race days, he oversees all slope operations. Lessons learned from previous editions - particularly 2024, when heavy snowfall disrupted the competition programme - are shaping this year's preparations.
“The outstanding preparation work carried out in 2024 must be replicated,” Giongo explains.“We are focusing again on snow consistency and the technical set-up of La VolatA. In addition, we will introduce terrain variations, new jumps and adjusted course settings to better manage athletes' speed in certain sections.”
The race programme will also differ from last year. “In 2024, two Super-G races were scheduled on a full-length course combining speed and technical sections. This year, we will also host a downhill race. The starting points have been revised: the downhill will begin at 2,510 metres, just below the cable car station, while the Super-G will start at 2,480 metres, with contingency options in place.”
Safety remains a top priority. “Together with the entire team, we have developed a comprehensive emergency plan covering on-slope response procedures as well as traffic management scenarios depending on weather conditions,” Giongo concludes.
