GOMS – CROSS-COUNTRY WORLD CUP WITH SWISS PODIUM FINISH

Goms, 24 January 2026 – From Friday to Sunday (23–25 January 2026), the international cross-country skiing elite are guests at the Nordic Centre Goms. Over the course of these three World Cup days, around 240 female and male athletes will compete in six races. Snow reliability, challenging courses, state-of-the-art infrastructure and a fantastic crowd promise unforgettable competitions. And this Saturday certainly delivered! In glorious weather and perfect conditions, well over 3,500 spectators roared Swiss skier Nadine Fähndrich onto the podium.

After a two-year break, Goms is back on the international cross-country skiing stage and is once again one of the venues of this year’s Coop FIS Cross-Country World Cup. The snow-sure high valley in Valais is not only a stronghold for professional cross-country skiing and biathlon, but also offers plenty for recreational cross-country skiers.

Following the morning qualification, three Swiss athletes reached the classic sprint finals. In the women’s competition, Anja Weber, Lea Fischer and Nadine Fähndrich all made it into the top 30. Lea Fischer was eliminated in the quarterfinals. Anja Weber qualified for the semifinals as a lucky loser, but was unable to confirm her performance there and finished the race in 10th place. As two years ago, Swiss hopes in Goms therefore rested on Nadine Fähndrich. That the 30-year-old is in Olympic form, she once again demonstrated impressively. Carried along by the loud support of Swiss fans, she overtook Sweden’s Maja Dahlqvist on the finishing straight and secured third place. For Fähndrich, this marked the 26th podium finish of her career and her third this winter. After her success, she praised the tremendous support along the course, saying the fans had carried her onto the podium. Fähndrich was beaten only by Sweden’s Linn Svahn and Germany’s Laura Gimmler. Goms is one of Svahn’s favourite venues, but also among the most demanding courses on the World Cup circuit, she emphasized in the winner’s interview.

Even before qualification, the Swiss men’s team had to cope with a setback. Valerio Grond withdrew due to illness following the team sprint on Friday. This placed hopes on Janik Riebli, but after the exhausting sprint the day before, the skier from Obwalden was unable to keep pace with the best and was eliminated in the quarterfinals. The same fate befell Noe and Isai Näff, who had no chance in their respective heats. Numerous young Swiss athletes were given the opportunity to showcase themselves at this home race in Goms.

As expected, Johannes Høsflot Klæbo prevailed in the men’s race. The Norwegian sprint dominator pulled away from the field on the second climb and won with a commanding lead ahead of American Gus Schumacher and Sweden’s Edvin Anger. With a top-class field of competitors and glorious weather, the second day of competition in Goms thrilled well over 3,500 spectators. On Sunday, the 20 km mass start is scheduled to begin at 11:15 a.m.

GOMS – CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING AND MUCH MORE WINTER FUN

Winter Hiking

The high plateau boasts around 70 km of signposted winter hiking trails, divided into various lengths and difficulty levels. One thing they all share is the surrounding mountain scenery and the magnificent views from the Furkahorn to the Weisshorn. Every village is well connected by the Matterhorn Gotthard Railway, making it easy to return to the starting point of your hike. Particularly popular among winter hikers is the Rotten Trail between Oberwald and Niederwald, as it follows the young Rhône River and is therefore flat and easy to walk. Slightly more demanding, but culturally highly interesting, is the hillside trail on the sunny side of the valley, which passes through the traditional Goms mountain villages between Oberwald and Biel.

Snowshoeing

Goms can certainly be described as a snow paradise. On eight signposted and safe snowshoe trails, visitors can explore nature and the unspoiled winter landscape while enjoying the silence. Almost 40 kilometres are available for both sporty and leisurely snowshoe hikers: from easy trails across the valley floor to routes through sheltered, deeply snow-covered mountain forests and over sunny clearings. Particularly recommended are guided snowshoe tours. Experienced guides share fascinating insights about the region and its people, life in the high valley, fauna and flora, and much more, turning the hike into a truly special experience.

Skiing and Snowpark

The Goms ski areas, with their wide and gently sloping pistes, are ideal for families and less experienced skiers. In Oberwald, Münster-Geschinen and Gluringen, fun on the slopes is the top priority. Ski instructors from the local ski schools are always happy to lend a helping hand. A special experience for young and old alike is the weekly night skiing in Münster-Geschinen. The snowpark in Gluringen impresses with its wide-ranging offer, providing something for everyone. In addition to various obstacles of differing difficulty levels, there is also a Big Air Bag for practising exciting aerial manoeuvres and tricks.

Tobogganing

There are ten toboggan runs in Goms. The longest is 3.1 km long and leads from the source of the Rhône to Oberwald. Additional shorter and longer runs can be found in or near almost every village in Goms. A particularly special experience is night tobogganing: either with a headlamp on the route between the Rhône source and Oberwald, or under floodlights at the ski lift in Geschinen.

About Goms

Goms lies in the heart of the Swiss Alps. The high valley with its traditional mountain villages is a paradise for nature lovers, sports enthusiasts and those seeking peace and quiet. With up to 300 days of sunshine per year, spending time in nature becomes a radiant pleasure. The natural environment is unique, shaped by the surrounding mountains. Goms is not only a winter paradise; summer also offers plenty of opportunities for sport and well-earned relaxation. In the restaurants, top Goms chefs create true works of art on the plate. Hospitality has always been a top priority in Goms. César Ritz, the “king of hoteliers and hotelier of kings,” was born and raised here.

All information about the event as well as the competition and supporting programme can be found here:
www.weltcup-goms.ch

Images from the second World Cup race day:
https://www.swisstransfer.com/d/9191b98f-1d9c-4a9b-ae7e-4d67fd3eca03

World Cup contact: medien@weltcup-goms.ch
Destination contact: maria-sol.burgener@goms.ch