- The resort will host the third stop of the World Cup circuit with the Sprint and Mixed Relay events on 27 and 28 January
- Boí Taüll has proven experience in major events, having hosted the 2023 ISMF World Championships and the 2022 ISMF European Championships
Boí Taüll, the highest resort in Catalonia with its summit at 2,750 m, will host two events of the International Ski Mountaineering Federation (ISMF) World Cup on 27 and 28 January 2024. The resort, managed by Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya (FGC), was already the official venue for the ISMF World Championships in February 2023 and the ISMF European Championships in February 2022 with great success. This competition is organised, approved and supported by the International Ski Mountaineering Federation (ISMF), the Spanish Federation of Mountain Sports and Climbing (FEDME) and the Federation of Hiking Entities of Catalonia (FEEC).
The third stop of the World Cup circuit will be held in Boí Taüll in the form of the Sprint and Mixed Relay events, two specialities that will be Olympic events at the Olympic Games in Milano-Cortina 2026. The Sprint race is a very fast race where the athlete has to complete the whole course in the shortest time possible, with a time of about three minutes for the leading participants. This is an individual event that combines the basic characteristics and techniques of uphill ski mountaineering with skins, a section on foot with skis on the back and a single downhill. Meanwhile, the Mixed Relay involves mixed teams of two people. Each team member must complete two laps of a set circuit of two ascents and two descents with one section with skis in the backpack.
The FGC president, Toni Segarra i Barreto, claimed that "each international competition we are entrusted with is another opportunity to demonstrate our work and our commitment towards our objectives: the promotion of winter sports and our commitment to top-class sport. Boí Taüll has consolidated its position as a host for ski mountaineering events thanks to the fantastic organisational results achieved in previous competitions, and it is fair to say that the FGC mountain resorts are considered benchmarks of quality thanks to their great facilities, good service and perfect conditions for the practice of winter sports". In this regard, Segarra added that "these events allow us to promote and publicise, not only our resorts, but the entire Pyrenees and its landscapes. Our commitment is to generate opportunities and to collaborate in the economic development of the areas in which we operate."
ISMF World Cup 2023-2024
The ISMF World Cup 2023-2024 circuit will feature seven stops. The season will start in Val Thorens (FRA) with Vertical, Sprint and Mixed Relay races between 24 and 26 November 2023. The circuit then moves to the Pyrenees. Arinsal (AND) will host the Individual and Vertical races on 20 and 21 January and Boí Taüll (ESP) the Sprint and Mixed Relay races on 27 and 28 January.
The fourth stop of the World Cup will be in Villars-sur-Ollon (SUI), on 2 and 5 February, for Sprint, Mixed Relay and Individual races. The teams will then move to Val Martello (ITA) to compete in the Individual, Mixed Relay and Sprint events on 22 and 25 February.
Schladming (AUT) will feature once again on the World Cup circuit with Sprint and Vertical races from 2 to 3 March, and Cortina d'Ampezo (ITA) will host the final stop of the circuit from 6 to 10 April, where all four disciplines will be contested.
Boí Taüll, a ski mountaineering paradise
The Boí Valley is located in the middle of the county of L'Alta Ribagorça and has become a world-renowned example of synergy between sport and culture. Indeed, it not only features the Aigüestortes and Estany de Sant Maurici National Park, but also boasts an enviable setting that stands out for its valleys and mountains, not forgetting the Boí Taüll ski resort.
Boí Taüll has four ski mountaineering routes of varying difficulty, level and distance for all types of skiers. Among them is the Torllussà, the alpine route par excellence. A high-difficulty circuit which climbs Puig Falcó on a demanding and technical route with varied sections with steep slopes, which opens up possibilities for great off-piste descents.
The resort has all the necessary services to host an event such as the World Cup. Its location, altitude and orientation guarantee ideal snow conditions. Furthermore, the morphology of its ski area makes it the perfect place to host major sporting events, also taking into account the services, accommodation and operational centres that facilitate the organisational dynamics of a competition of these characteristics.
A resort with an international pedigree
Between 27 February to 5 March 2023, Boí Taüll was the venue for the 2023 ISMF World Championships. Over the course of these seven days, the Boí Valley welcomed up to 298 athletes from 27 countries, accompanied by their coaches and trainers. During the World Championships, five official events were held (Sprint, Vertical, Teams, Individual and Relay).
In February 2022 the resort also became the official venue for the ISMF European Championships, a large-scale competition involving almost 200 athletes from 19 countries.
About Boí Taüll
Under the management of FGC Turisme and located in the Pyrenees of Lleida, the mountain resort of Boí Taüll offers everything necessary for winter sports. It enjoys a privileged location, facing north and standing at the gates of the Aigüestortes and Estany de Sant Maurici National Park. It is located in the county of L'Alta Ribagorça and offers a skiable area of 550 hectares, with more than 45 kilometres of ski slopes. It also has one of the highest altitudes in the Pyrenees (maximum altitude of 2,751 m and minimum altitude of 2,035 m), 42 ski runs and four ski mountaineering routes: Bassetes, Port d'Erta, Mussoles and Torllussà.