For these world championships in France, the men’s races take place on L’Eclipse in Courchevel, the women’s races on the Roc de Fer in Méribel.
On the occasion of the 2023 Alpine Skiing World Championships, which saw Federica Brignone won the opening combined on Monday, the women’s races take place in Méribel on the famous Roc de Fer and the men’s races in Courchevel on the Eclipse. The two tracks will host all the events, from February 6 to 19. Clément Noël, Mikaela Shiffrin, Marco Odermatt or Tessa Worley will they manage to be crowned world champion on one of these two slopes? Franceinfo: sport presents in detail the two tracks which will be the scene of the exploits of these Worlds.
The Eclipse, in Courchevel
The track (black for tourists) which hosts the men’s events of the world championships had been designed and traced for the occasion. She is therefore “brand new and fresh” as the Savoyards like to remember when they head to Le Praz, the picturesque little village that hosts the finish area. The best downhillers on the planet had walked it for the first time during the World Cup finals, less than a year ago (March 16, 2022).
Since then, it has further evolved, as Sébastien Santon, course designer at L’Eclipse, tells us: “The Eclipse is a merger of several tracks that already existed for tourists. OI just added a new 200 meter section on the bottom, because the old track formed too steep an angle for the descent. This new segment corresponds to the slalom stage.“
The track starts at 2235 meters above sea level, a stone’s throw from the now famous summit of the Col de la Loze, and offers a demanding slope at an average of 30% over 3.2 kilometers, with a maximum passage of more than 58% in the wall of the Bux. Total drop: 940 meters.
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L’Eclipse by Xavier Fournier-Bidoz, head of the French men’s speed team:
“Some say it looks like Kitzbühel. But I think it only looks like the Eclipse. It is well drawn. I love the top, which lasts more than a minute. There are beautiful jumps that fly quite far, but it’s not dangerous as they land on the slope Compared to what we did last year, the change, and that’s why we call it the “Eclipse is the light down below. When you get to the Jockeys jump, there’s another curve and then you get to the ‘Black Hole’. From there it’s going to be a bit dark. It’s is what changes compared to last year and that’s what will make the difficulty of the track.”
The Roc de Fer, in Meribel
If it is not one of the great classics each season, the Méribel track, intended for women during these Worlds, is legendary for its history. Because in 1992, it was the scene of the women’s events at the Olympic Games in Albertville. It then returned to the circuit more than 20 years later, on the occasion of the 2015 finals and after a nice facelift.
Since then, the usually blue track for ordinary mortals has been a regular feature of the Women’s World Cup program. It starts at an altitude of 2150 meters on a mountain slope which bears its name and over 2.5 km of slope which reaches an average of 32%. Total drop: 690 meters.
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The Roc de Fer analyzed by Marco Viale, head of the French women’s speed team:
“We can cut it into two parts. The first sector is very fast, very slippery over about thirty seconds, until you pass through the tunnel. Then, it becomes much more technical, with changes in exposure to the sun which will affect the visibility of the skiers. We will also have to see how the snow will be worked, whether artificial movements of the terrain will be created or not. To sum up, it is not an easy slope, but it is very slippery and can be very interesting. “There is no right or wrong track, nor an ideal route. Skiing is a sport of adaptation. The best on the line is the one who adapts the best.”
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