More than 100,000 applications to attend the 2009 Alpine World Ski Championships in Val d’Isere in February have been received by the event organisers.

Spectators will be able to attend the Championships, which are to take place in Val d’Isère between the 2nd and 15th of February, completely free of charge.

“This concept has been a great success so far!” commented spokeswoman Beatrice Hutter.

All 100 000 who have expressed their desire to attend the races will be able to watch the races as guests of Savoie Mont Blanc Tourism. Some will travel by train as guests of the Rhône-Alpes region in association with French National Railways (SNCF) and by transfer coach as guests of Savoy County Council.

www.valdisere2009.org

Another dozen or so resorts have opened for the winter, in many cases earlier than expected.
Livigno in Italy has opened a fortnight early and this week is offering free skiing to anyone who makes the journey there by Friday.

In Spain the resort of Formigal has celebrated its earliest opening for 15 years by providing probably the largest ski area currently open anywhere in the world – some 63km of piste. It is planning to stay ahead of the world by more than doubling that to its full 137km by this weekend.

Elsewhere resorts have been opening all around the world. In Canada, Alberta is the place top be with all three resorts at Banff now open, Sunshine the latest and with the most terrain in the country. Marmot Baisin at Jasper has celebrated its earliest ever opening.

Elsewherein Europe Obergurgl in Austria, Hemsedal in Norway and Lenzerheide in Switzerland join the 20 or so resorts in the Alps and 50+ in Scandinavia that had already opened.