Vitranc Cup
Vitranc Cup (Slovenian: Pokal Vitranc) is an annual FIS Alpine Ski World Cup competition, held since 1961 in Kranjska Gora, Upper Carniola, Slovenia.
| Vitranc Cup | |
|---|---|
.jpg.webp) From the first Vitranc Cup (1961) | |
| Information | |
| Slovenian: | Pokal Vitranc |
| Debut: | 4–5 March 1961 |
| Disciplines: | slalom, giant slalom |
| Member: | Club5+ |
| Editions: | 61 |
| Most wins | |
| Total: |  Marcel Hirscher (6x) |
| Giant slalom: |  Ted Ligety (5x) |
| Slalom: | Benjamin Raich (4x) |
| World Cup events | |
| Total: | 80 |
| Men: | 79 |
| Women: | 1 |
| Current course | |
| Name: | "Podkoren 3" |
| Opened: | 1 December 1983 |
| Max. incline: | 30.5° degrees (59%) |
| Min. incline: | 10.2° degrees (18%) |
| Architect: |  Peter Lakota |
| Full cancelation | |
| 5–times: | 1974, 1976, 1981, 2000, 2020 |
Giant slalom at Kranjska Gora is considered as one of three most prestigious and challenging in the world, next to those in Adelboden and Alta Badia.
This competition is the successor of "Bukovniški smuk" (Bukovnik Downhill), "kamikaze dowhnill" race first held in Kranjska Gora in 1949.[1]
History
1961: First edition
On 4 March 1961 first ever Vitranc Cup event was held with extremely demanding and steep giant slalom course from top of the Vitranc mountain, also known as "hara-kiri with accelaration".[2][3][4]
1962: Event not scheduled at all
In 1962, for the only time in history, the competition was not on schedule at all, because Yugoslavian Ski Federation office in Belgrade, simply forgot to send the application to International Ski Federation (FIS).[5]
1968: World Cup debut
On 10 March 1968, Vitranc Cup (Kranjska Gora) hosted first ever World Cup alpine ski event in Slovenia (also Yugoslavia at the same time). Slalom won by French skier Patrick Russel.[6]
1982: Record attendance
On 20 March 1982, Bojan Križaj took first World Cup win at home ground, in front of record crowd of 32,000 people, which hasn't been broken yet at alpine skiing events in Slovenia, beating Ingemar Stenmark.[7][8]
1983: New permanent course opened
On 29–30 January 1983, Vitranc Cup competition was last time held on old steep course above old gas station, before moving to then new and now permanent course in nearby Podkoren, and still in use today.
On 1–2 December 1983, competition was first time held and permanently moved at the new "Podkoren 3" nearby course, constructed and designed by ex Slovenian skier Peter Lakota. Double slalom schedule for both, first women competition and the next day for men. It was the first and the last time in history, that Slovenia hosted World Cup opening, for both men and women. This was the first and only time that women competed for Vitranc Cup.[9][10][11]
1985: Petrovič won infront home crowd
On 21 December 1985, Rok Petrovič celebrated 2nd of all his five World Cup career wins in his career, dominating this season, in front of home crowd of 30,000 people.[12][13]
1986: Double Slovenian win
On 20 December 1986, then Slovenian sports icons Bojan Križaj and Petrovič took double Slovenian win, beating 3rd placed Ingemar Stenmark.[14]
Vitranc Cup Top 3 results
Men
.svg.png.webp){kind=small}
Women
In start of the season, they exceptionally and once in history of this competition, raced for "Vitranc Cup".[15]
| Edition | Year | Date | Event | Winner | Second | Third |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ↓ FIS World Cup ↓ | ||||||
| 23rd | 1983 | 1 December | SL | .svg.png.webp){kind=small} Erika Hess |
Tamara McKinney |
.svg.png.webp){kind=small} Małgorzata Tlałka |
Substitute events
Kranjska Gora replaced 6 men's cancelled events from other countries, which didn't count for Vitranc Cup:
- 4 Mar 2016 – Henrik Kristoffersen won Friday's additional giant slalom, instead of Garmisch-Partenkirchen (GER).[16]
- 29 Jan 2010 – Ted Ligety won Friday's additional giant slalom, instead of Adelboden (SUI).[17]
- 20 Dec 2001 – Fredrik Nyberg won Friday's additional giant slalom, instead of Aspen (USA).[18]
- 8 Mar 2000 – Christian Mayer won extra giant slalom, instead of Adelboden (SUI).[19][20]
- 6 Jan 1990 – Jonas Nilsson won Saturday's additional slalom, instead of Madonna di Campiglio (ITA).[21]
- 3 Jan 1986 – Joël Gaspoz won extra giant slalom, instead of Borovets (BUL).[22]
Multiple winners
With at least two wins or more.
| Total | Skier | SL | GS |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | Marcel Hirscher | 2 | 4 |
| 5 | Ted Ligety | 0 | 5 |
 Alberto Tomba | 3 | 2 | |
| 4 | Benjamin Raich | 4 | 0 |
 Henrik Kristoffersen | 1 | 3 | |
.svg.png.webp){kind=small} Bojan Križaj | 3 | 1 | |
| 3 |  Marc Girardelli | 2 | 1 |
| 2 | Josef Stiegler | 1 | 1 |
 Michel Arpin | 2 | 0 | |
 Francisco Fernández Ochoa | 1 | 1 | |
 Ingemar Stenmark | 1 | 1 | |
| Thomas Sykora | 2 | 0 | |
| Bode Miller | 0 | 2 | |
| Giorgio Rocca | 2 | 0 | |
| Mario Matt | 2 | 0 | |
 Ivica Kostelić | 2 | 0 | |
| Joël Gaspoz | 0 | 2 |
Club5+
In 1986, elite Club5 was originally founded by prestigious classic downhill organizers: Kitzbühel, Wengen, Garmisch, Val d’Isère and Val Gardena/Gröden, with goal to bring alpine ski sport on the highest levels possible.[23]
Later over the years other classic longterm organizers joined the now named Club5+: Alta Badia, Cortina, Kranjska Gora, Maribor, Lake Louise, Schladming, Adelboden, Kvitfjell, St.Moritz and Åre.[24]
References
- "Vitranc memories" (in Slovenian). Delo. 23 February 2011.
- "Official results from first ever Vitranc Cup event (GS 1961)" (PDF) (in Slovenian). pokal-vitranc.com. 4 March 1961.
- "Prvi zmagovalec avtrijec Stiegler (page 15)" (in Slovenian). Delo. 5 March 1961.
- "Fotografski utrinki iz veleslaloma (page 11)" (in Slovenian). Delo. 5 March 1961.
- "Od morilskega smuka do poligona" (in Slovenian). Dnevnik. 23 October 2012.
- "Slalom Russelu" (in Slovenian). Delo. 11 March 1968.
- "V finišu svetovnega pokala Križaj zmagal na Vitrancu" (in Slovenian). Delo. 11 March 1968.
- "V panju Vitranca se je tudi Stenmark počutil kot Slovenec" (in Slovenian). MMC RTV Slovenija. 2 March 2011.
- "Osemnajsti svetovni pokal začenjajo danes tekmovalke (page 6)" (in Slovenian). Delo. 1 December 1983.
- "Erika Hess nenadkriljiva v strmini.... (page 9)" (in Slovenian). Delo. 2 December 1983.
- "Ponovil se je nesrečni januar 1983... (page 5)" (in Slovenian). Delo. 3 December 1983.
- "Nepozaben smučarski praznik v Kranjski Gori (stran 1)" (in Slovenian). Delo. 23 December 1985.
- "Petrovič junak tudi v domači Kranjski Gori(stran 9)" (in Slovenian). Delo. 23 December 1985.
- "Naša nepozabna slalomska dneva (page 9)" (in Slovenian). Delo. 22 December 1986.
- "Smer: Kranjska Gora (page 9)" (in Slovenian). Delo. 28 November 1986.
- "Žan Kranjec v finale s 16. časom, vodi Francoz Pinturault" (in Slovenian). ekipa.svet24.si. 4 March 2016.
- "Ted Ligety je zmagal v Kranjski Gori, Slovenci so razočarali" (in Slovenian). Dnevnik. 29 January 2010.
- "Za 41. Pokal Vitranc vse pripravljeno (page 12)" (in Slovenian). Gorenjski glas. 18 December 2001.
- "Kranjskogorčani željni dokazovanja (page 6)" (in Slovenian). Gorenjski glas. 7 March 2000.
- "Rada imava slovenski sneg (page 23)" (in Slovenian). Gorenjski glas. 10 March 2000.
- "Sobotna tekma je bila povsem naša, z Madonno pa jo je povezal zmagovalec" (in Slovenian). Delo. 8 January 1990.
- "Bela karavana se je sešla, kjer se je decembra razšla (page 6)" (in Slovenian). Delo. 3 January 1986.
- "Srečko Medven predsednik elitnega združenje (page 9)" (in Slovenian). Naše novice. June 2010.
- "Club5+ workshop in Adelboden". saslong.org. 23 October 2021.