2023 World Ski Championships: Explained

After the Olympic Games, the World Ski Championships is THE biggest international ski event, bringing together 600 athletes from 75 nations. 

In 2023, Courchevel and Meribel will host the very best skiers in the world between 6 to 19 February 2023.

• 12 DAYS OF RACING
• 6 ALPINE SKI DISCIPLINES
• 54 MEDALS TO BE WON
• 75 NATIONS PARTICIPATING
• 600 SKI RACERS

About the two pistes

Eclipse – Destined to become one of the big names on the men’s world cup circuit. With more than 3 kilometres of descent for approximately 950m of altitude drop, the gradient averages 30%. Eclipse is a highly technical and physical route to rival Stelvio in Bormio, or Kitzbühel’s Streif.

Departing from Courchevel’s famous Col de la Loze, above the resort of La Tania, this descent alternates between forest and open piste, shadow and light for a thrilling arrival in Courchevel Le Praz.  It is usually open to the public but will be closed during February until the racing has finished.

Roc de Fer:

This slope has seen the world’s best skiers since the 1992 Albertville Olympic Games. What new records will be broken on this piste in 2023?

What are the different disciplines at the World Ski Championships?

SLALOM

The most technical of the races, the route is short with many gates that are close together. Skiers must be explosive, and race on two runs on different courses. The skier with the best cumulative time over the two rounds, wins.

DOWNHILL

Downhill skiing requires technical mastery and top speeds which can be up to 140km/h. The snow is highly compacted to avoid the deterioration of the piste during the race, and to ensure that the first and last racers can ski on the same quality of snow.

SUPER-G

The skiers have just one chance in this test of speed which sits between downhill and giant. Super G gates are the same as those in the giant, but spaced further apart, and speeds can exceed 100km/h.

GIANT SLALOM

Extreme technical and physical precision is required for the giant slalom. There are two rounds, in which skiers must move quickly on their finely-tuned skis.

PARALLEL

Two skiers race down two identical routes at the same time. The first to finish goes through to the next round, against a different skier.

COMBINED

Two rounds in different disciplines: speed and slalom. Versatility is key, and the results are often surprising in this discipline.

The World Ski Championships race schedule

• 06 FEB 2023: OPENING CEREMONY 18:45, Courchevel
• 07 FEB 2023: WOMEN’S ALPINE COMBINED 11:00 Méribel
• 08 FEB 2023: MEN’S ALPINE COMBINED 11:00 Courchevel
• 09 FEB 2023 WOMEN’S SUPER G 11:30 Méribel
• 11 FEB 2023 MEN’S SUPER G 11:30 Courchevel
• 12 FEB 2023 WOMEN’S DOWNHILL 12:00 Méribel
• 14 FEB 2023 MEN’S DOWNHILL 12:00 Courchevel
• 14 FEB 2023 PARALLEL QUALIFICATIONS 17:00 Stade Emile Allais – Courchevel
• 15 FEB 2023 ALPINE TEAM PARALLEL 12:15 Méribel
• 16 FEB 2023 MEN & WOMEN’S PARALLEL GIANT SLALOM 12:00 Méribel
• 16 FEB 2023 GIANT SLALOM QUALIFICATION MEN – FREE ACCESS 10:00 Stade Emile Allais – Courchevel
• 17 FEB 2023 WOMEN’S GIANT SLALOM 10:00 Méribel
• 18 FEB 2023 MEN’S GIANT SLALOM 10:00 Courchevel
• 18 FEB 2023 SLALOM QUALIFICATION MEN – FREE ACCESS 10:00 Stade Emile Allais – Courchevel
• 19 FEB 2023 WOMEN’S SLALOM 10:00 Méribel
• 19 FEB 2023 MEN’S SLALOM 10:00 Courchevel
• 19 FEB 2023 CLOSING CEREMONY 15:15 Courchevel

How will our ski holiday be affected?

Only five slopes are set aside for the World Championships; just 1% of the whole 3 Valleys ski area.

In Courchevel: the Eclipse is closed to the public for the competitions, and Granges in Moriond is reserved for the athletes’ training.

In Méribel, Roc de Fer is closed for the competition, with Choucas and Eterlou reserved for training.

All the other slopes will be open to the public, as well as all ski lifts.

The lifts used by competitors (Forêt and Bouc Blanc in Courchevel, Legends and Olympic in Méribel) will be shared by the racers and stay open so that the public can fully access the ski area during this period, as well as watch the competitions.

What else is on during the championships?

The opening and closing ceremonies will take place in Courchevel, and there are music concerts on during the two weeks of the World Ski Championships. Here are some of the events going on during 5-19 February 2023:

• 7 FEB: Ski Show, Courchevel Village
• 8 FEB: Torchlight Descent, La Tania
• 9 FEB: International Pyrotechnics Festival, Courchevel 1850
• 13 FEB: Mulled wine in a tree swing! La Tania
• 13 FEB: Ski Show, Courchevel 1850
• 15 FEB: Torchlight Descent, La Tania
• 16 FEB: International Pyrotechnics Festival, Courchevel Moriond
• 17 FEB: Marshmallow party, Courchevel Moriond
• 19 FEB: Award Ceremony, Men’s Slalom, 15:00, Courchevel

>> See all events this winter