Font Blanca is considering submitting a bid for the European Championship 2020

With everything ready for the 2019 edition, Font Blanca is guaranteed to be part of World Cup’s circuit next year, for the last of the three seasons agreed by contract with the International Ski Mountaineering Federation (ISMF).

The Andorran race, however, is considering applying for the European Championships 2020, in the same year the ISMF will, for the first time, be part of an Olympic competition at the Youth Games in Lausanne. This will be the first step before the final break through as an Olympic sport, already confirmed not to be possible for 2022 and being now awaited for 2026.

In this context, the Andorran race wants to position itself on the international scene as a leading organizer. Pioneer in streaming and broadcasting of the ski mountaineering World Cup, Font Blanca wants to maintain its leadership in terms of innovation and excellence, adding new dimensions to the event in aspects such as protocol, welcoming, sustainability and solidarity.

Anti-doping controls and information

Once again, the discipline will be aiming at more professionalization and, together with the Andorran Antidoping Agency (AGAD), Font Blanca will promote various outreach actions to inform racers that about their best interest to play clean and say no to doping.

Under the theme: “DO NOT GAMBLE WITH YOUR HEALTH / NO JUGUIS AMB LA TEVA SALUT” and with a stand at the accreditation area and in the ACCO, AGAD will inform about the risks associated to nutritional supplements, and will offer tools for athletes to make the right choice when using them, in addition to conducting doping controls during the competition.

Once again, Font Blanca will give a special importance to sustainability. Andorra is a leader in this field within the International Ski Mountaineering Federation (ISMF) and will not only aim at Zero Waste during the race, but will also raise awareness about climate change, offering everyone the possibility to calculate and compensate the environmental impact of their travel to the event through Clean CO2’s Web-shop.

Font Blanca does not forget solidarity and, for its 2019 edition, has strengthened ties with Fundació Muntanyencs per l’Himàlaia (Mountaineers for Himalayas Foundation) to help children living and studying in Kathmandu be able to go back to their homes and families, once a year, in remote villages, sometimes on the other side of the Tibetan border. With the objective to involve and raise people awareness in an active way, the Andorran race will sell solidarity bracelets for 5 euros, all revenues going towards this cause.

Changes to the itinerary of the individual race

The itinerary of the individual race, on 26 January, has been modified to adapt to the snow conditions in Vallnord – Ordino Arcalís. The new itinerary will include three ascents and three descents, with an elevation of 1,655 meters in the Men Senior category.

The new itinerary retains all technical characteristics, both in the ascents and the descents, and guarantees the best level of security, while offering a panorama of almost 100% over the race for those wanting to follow it on site.

Departure will be located at Els Planells, at 2,060 meters, and from there, the first ascent will bring the racers through Coma d’Arcalís to the highest point of the resort, a few meters above the Basera chairlift, with a drop of 490 meters. The first descent will almost bring racers back to the departure point, through Portella del Mig and the second ascent will take them through the outskirts of the black ski run of La Portella. The second descent will be almost identical to the first one, and the third and last ascent, the most demanding of all with 655 meters, will pass through the Grand Canal to Collada d’Arcalís, at 2,715 meters, from where racers will start their final descent to the arrival point, located at Els Planells.

Reminder: this race will be streamed live on the www.fontblanca.ad website.

The vertical race of Sunday 27 January will follow the same itinerary as in previous years, with only minor adjustments, and will be broadcasted live, for the second consecutive year, by Andorra Televisió, as well as on the www.andorradifusio.ad website.