The 2014 Scarpa ISMF World Cup circuit was presented this weekend in Verbier, Switzerland. This season along with Scarpa the main sponsor, there’s the new addition of Polatec® who’ll be collaborating with Montura. The media presentation was mainly dedicated to the forthcoming world cup season, however attention was also given over to the 2015 ISMF World Championships due to be held in Verbier.
During the media weekend held in Verbier, the international press had the opportunity to learn about two prestigious projects due to take place in Verbier, the first being the World Cup leg in January 2014, the other being the 2015 ISMF World Championships.
On Friday evening at Espace St Marc, Gaston Barben, President of “Verbier 2015” the organising committee responsible, presented the Individual and Vertical races which will open the 2014 World Cup season on 18 & 19 January.
On Saturday morning journalists were invited to join world cup athletes up on the snow. Yannick Ecoeur, Florent Troillet, and Jennifer Feichter of Switzerland, Seppi Rottmoser and Cornelius Unger from Germany, Alexis Sevennec from France as well as Gloriana Pellissier and Denis Trento demonstrated various ski mountaineering techniques and the phases seen in race like conditions.
After Verbier the 2014 Scarpa ISMF World Cup moves on to Courchevel in France on 25 & 26 January, followed by Val Comelico/Sappada in Italia on 31 January and 2 February, the circuit then returns to Switzerland on 1 & 2 March in Les Diablarets, with the final leg taking place in Tromso, Norway on 12 & 13 April.
The President of the ISMF, Armando Mariotta illustrated the various projects that the international federation has been working on, referring also to hard work put into the request to be recognised by the IOC. «The ISMF and ski mountaineering as a sport is going through an important growth period. It’s important to remember that in 2014 not only is there a World Cup circuit but there are three continental cups taking place in Europe, North America and with the Asian Championships taking place in Kamchatka, Russia. Then there are the ISMF Series races taking place in various countries such as Norway, Italy, USA and Russia». «I would like to give a heart-felt thank you to the Verbier organising committee, who have hosted us throughout this weekend dedicated to promoting ski mountaineering. My thanks also goes to all the World Cup athletes who gave their time to demonstrate the sport to journalists and TV crews».
The ISMF President also took time to mention that the Italian athlete, Gloriana Pellissier has agreed to become an ISMF Ambassador assisting with the development of youth projects with aparticular emphasis on young women.
Another important piece of news for the 2014 season is the addition of Polartec® as one of the sponsors of the world cup circuit. Polartec®, leader in the production of textiles used for outdoor clothing, will be collaborating with Montura the result of which will lead to the launch of a new range of innovative products dedicated to competitive ski mountaineeringfor the 2015 season.