On the night of 4 February 2015 the Moonlight Classic will return to the Alpe di Siusi for its 9th edition. A competition which isn’t just a race. It’s a unique way to experience the wonders of the night surrounded by nature with your cross-country skis. We are expecting over 500 cross-country skiers to take part, armed with their skis and helmet flashlights, whizzing away on the largest European plateau on a 15 and 30 km track.
All that is left of summer are holiday pictures of sunny beaches and crystal-clear water. Luckily, you’ve got something to look forward to. The ninth edition of the Moonlight Classic, for example. Cross-country skiers can already pencil the date in their calendar and get ready for the suggestive moonlit cross-country competition.
The organising committee of the Moonlight Classic Alpe di Siusi has to choose a different date every year, as the moon has to be at its brightest to light up the way. This year, the date falls on 4 February 2015.
Skiers are to take off at 8 p.m. and ski using the classic technique. What is also certain is that the
Moonlight Classic will be a blast, something which the competition has proven to be for the last nine years.
CONFIRMED TRACKS
The two Moonlight Classic 2015 tracks are based on the previous edition: the long track is 30 km long, while the short track, ideal for everyone, is 15 km long and does not have any demanding elevation gains. Participants take off from Compaccio: skiers on the long track will reach the uphill part of the Goldknopf after 17 km (2,030 m altitude) which coincides with the King of the Mountains. They will then head downhill towards Spitzbühl, eating away the last kilometres before returning to the finishing line in Compaccio. Skiers on the short track (15 km) will ski on a circular trail from Ritsch to Wolfsbühl and then return to the normal track heading to the finishing line in Compaccio.
GUIDED BY THE MOON AND 1,000 TORCHES
Skiing in the dead of night, the only light being the pale rays of the moon and the flashlights, is a unique experience, even mystical to a certain extent. Moving about in small groups, set against the backdrop of this fairy-tale scenery, becomes an unforgettable adventure. One which will only make cross-country skiers love this discipline even more, embraced by the nightly cover dropped on the Alpe di Siusi.
PROGRAMME
The meeting point is Compaccio (1,840 metres), Alpe di Siusi. Cross-country skiers can prepare at the starting line from 7.30 p.m., while the race will officially commence at 8 p.m. on the dot. After around 30 minutes, the winners of the short track are expected to arrive. The winners of the 30 km track should arrive around 9.20 p.m. The prize award ceremony will start at 10 p.m., while the nearby pavilion will host the competition party with music, local dishes and merriment all round.
All that is left of summer are holiday pictures of sunny beaches and crystal-clear water. Luckily, you’ve got something to look forward to. The ninth edition of the Moonlight Classic, for example. Cross-country skiers can already pencil the date in their calendar and get ready for the suggestive moonlit cross-country competition.
The organising committee of the Moonlight Classic Alpe di Siusi has to choose a different date every year, as the moon has to be at its brightest to light up the way. This year, the date falls on 4 February 2015.
Skiers are to take off at 8 p.m. and ski using the classic technique. What is also certain is that the
Moonlight Classic will be a blast, something which the competition has proven to be for the last nine years.
Info: Moonlight Classic
