THOUSANDS OF FANS CELEBRATE WITH NADINE FÄHNDRICH IN GOMS

 

A Swiss podium to finish the week-end, well over 10,000 fans and an amazing atmosphere before, during and after the competitions: that's the result of three days of the Cross-Country World Cup in Goms. The expectations of the local organizing committee were surpassed - and leave us wanting more.

Swiss star Nadine Fähndrich made the party in Goms at the Coop FIS Cross-Country World Cup perfect: she finished on the podium in the mass start race over 20 kilometers. Just two seconds behind the American Jessie Diggins and the Swede Frida Karlsson, she pulled off the big coup on the tough course. Nadja Kälin (15th) and Marina Kälin (25th) also made it into the World Cup points in the very cold temperatures of the morning during the women's race at the Goms Nordic Center. Anja Weber finished 35th, Lea Fischer 43rd and Giuliana Werro 44th.

In the afternoon, when the sun from the cloudless sky filled the Nordic Center with warmth, it was the men's turn. Also over 20 kilometers in skating style. As on the previous day, Johannes Høsflot Klæbo won the race, with his team-mate Simen Hegstad Krüger and Frenchman Jules Lapierre completing the podium. The best Swiss athlete, Beda Klee, made it into the top ten in 9th place. Jonas Baumann became 20th, Antonin Savary 33rd, Cyril Fähndrich 39th, Candide Pralong from Valais 41st and Fabrizio Albasini 46th. 

Broadcast in over 15 countries worldwide 

The fantastic images of the Cross-Country World Cup in Goms were broadcast in numerous countries. The entire race was shown live, in a livestream, as a recording or partial recording. Viewers from Austria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Italy, Latin America, Norway, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, the USA and Asian countries were able to watch the competitions. In Switzerland, German-, French-and Italian-language Swiss radio and television broadcast the pictures. It is estimated that up to 10 million people were reached (the exact figures will be determined at a later date).

One highlight was certainly a report on "Schweiz Aktuell", which lasted almost 10 minutes. During the SRF live broadcast of the World Cup sprint on Saturday, OC President Chantal Carlen was accompanied through the Nordic Center by presenter Seraina Degen.

The response in the written press and on the radio was also remarkable: the local players already reported a lot about the races in the Goms Nordic Center the week before the World Cup weekend, even several times a day at the weekend. 

And last but not least, the athletes themselves did a great job of promoting the cross-country skiing paradise of Goms: On social media, they raved about the breathtaking scenery from the day they arrived. Just one example of this is Jessie Diggings, the overall World Cup leader with over 220,000 followers on Instagram.

Party atmosphere not only at the side of the track

Before, between and after the competitions, the Nordic Village in the competition area also offered pure entertainment for young and old. Twenty stands offered tarte flambée, hot sandwiches, Gommer Cholera, Asian cuisine and many other delicacies for refreshment, as well as stands from exhibitors. The children had the opportunity to have fun in a bouncy castle throughout the weekend and to practise their painting and drawing skills in the mini-chalet under the guidance of daycare supervisors.

Thanks to bands and DJs, there was a lively atmosphere in the marquee late into the night. There was singing and dancing not only on the dance floor, but even on the tables. This was not least thanks to the numerous fan clubs from Switzerland, Norway and France as well as “Guggenmusik” groups.

Expectations of the OC exceeded

Over the three days of the World Cup, a total of 11,120 tickets were sold to cross-country skiing fans who watched the spectacle in Goms (around 2,000 on Friday, 5,000 on Saturday and 4,000 on Sunday). Children up to the age of 16 and a total of 400 volunteers were able to watch the competitions free of charge. These figures exceeded the expectations of the local organizing committee. 

In view of this and the very positive feedback from the International Ski Federation (FIS), Swiss-Ski, the teams and the fans, this makes hungry for more: "We have proven that we can organize major competitions at a top international level," says Chantal Carlen. So it would be nice if it wasn't another 24 years until the next World Cup.

Contact: medien@weltcup-goms.ch

Photo: Nordic Focus