Despite the unusual warm temperatures over the festive season, FIS Officials were able to confirm that both parallel races which are scheduled for Bad Gastein on January 8^th and 9^th, 2016, will take place.

Thanks to an artificial snow production Local Organisers had started very early at the foot of the Stubnerkogel, the snow layer is big enough to not only host the numerous ski tourists on the Bucheben slope but also the first two alpine snowboard World Cup races of the year 2016.

As a result, Franz Weiss, head of the LOC and his team are currently focusing on the fine tuning.

“We are still transporting snow from the valley on the slope,” he says. In addition, volunteers and workers are installing the flood light poles which ensure the special atmosphere for the night event on Friday (parallel slalom).

Saturday will then bring this season's first team parallel event on the same slope which is in a great shape already which Austrian national team members were able to acknowledge after two training days last week.

“We had great conditions and a superb training,” explained Benjamin Karl and Andreas Prommegger while reigning world champion Claudia Riegler added: “Officials have done an extraordinary job!”

Race programme Bad Gastein

• Friday, Jan 8^th, 2016: Parallel slalom with qualifiers at 2 PM CET and finals of top 16 women and men (single run format) at 6 PM (live at ORF 1).

• Saturday, Jan 9^th, 2016: Team event parallel slalom at 2 PM CET