Stars of the extraordinary Women's Alpine Skiing World Cup weekend in early March, during which Laura Pirovano from Spiazzo Rendena in Trentino won her first two downhill races, beating her rivals by just one hundredth of a second; where Elena Curtoni from Valtellina returned to the top step of the podium in the super-G after a long absence due to injury; where finally Asja Zenere from Vicenza, also in the super-G, secured her first World Cup podium, just one hundredth of a second behind second place. In addition to the three stars of the speed events, the sisters Nadia and Nicol Delago from Val Gardena and Roberta Melesi from Lecco have been training on La VolatA in the San Pellegrino Ski Area from Monday until Thursday 2 April.
Accompanied by the Italian national team’s technical manager Giovanni Feltrin and supervised by FISI coaches, the Italian women's speed team have been carrying out a series of daily training sessions on skis without the pressure of preparing for the next race, working on new technical aspects and also testing new equipment.
"Returning to La VolatA," said Laura Pirovano, "is always wonderful. We are all very fond of Val di Fassa and the World Cup course that has given us priceless moments. Looking back at the two victories, I still haven’t fully realised what I’ve achieved, because day after day we’ve always kept our focus on the next race. I can’t wait to relax and try to give an emotional meaning to what this season has been for me. An unforgettable winter, which I’ll carry within me for the rest of my life. I’d like to emphasise that we’re a very strong team and our great strength lies in being able to take inspiration from so many members of the squad. We spur each other on and are a daily source of inspiration for one another. And all of that is priceless."
Elena Curtoni also reflected on her return to winning ways and her season:
"The Super-G victory represents a huge redemption for me. I really wanted to get back on the top step of the podium. I'd come close with a string of fourth-place finishes after my injury, but winning has a special flavour. I wanted to prove that I could still finish ahead of everyone else. After two good performances in the two downhill races, I approached the Super-G day with a bit of a chip on my shoulder. I wanted a significant result at all costs and I managed it, thanks to my determination and a top-class run. Since the Olympics, I've been asking myself every day whether to keep competing or to stop, because I don't want to have any regrets, especially as, knowing myself, I always want to give 100 per cent. But I haven’t made a final decision yet."
Asja Zenere is also still full of enthusiasm.
"What a magical Sunday," she says. "I knew I'd had a good run, but I never expected to make it onto the podium. Everything went perfectly that day. I'll never forget those moments. Now, however, I have a decision to make regarding my knees—namely, whether to undergo another operation or not—but I reckon I have no alternative."
The toast organised by Mauro Vendruscolo, president of the San Pellegrino Ski Area, was also attended by the bronze medallist in the parallel giant slalom at the recent Olympics and winner of the 2026 Parallel Slalom World Cup, Lucia Dalmasso, who lives in Falcade on the Veneto side of the San Pellegrino Ski Area. The training sessions taking place over the next few days will not be the last for the Italian women's speed team on the La VolatA slope, as they are also scheduled to be there on 13 and 14 April for equipment testing.
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