by InTrieste
Kristian Ghedina and Tina Maze led teams of young skiers in Aurisina on Saturday, as the initiative prepares for a nighttime race in Tarvisio in January.
Former skiing champions Kristian Ghedina and Tina Maze led teams of young athletes in a giant slalom competition in Aurisina on Saturday, Oct. 10, as Barcolana Ski returned with an expanded program linking the Adriatic coast with the mountains of Friuli Venezia Giulia.
The Autumn Cup took place at the Neve Sole winter sports training center in the municipality of Duino-Aurisina, near Trieste. The event, developed by the regional tourism agency PromoTurismoFVG and first held in 2024, brings together alpine skiing, sailing and regional tourism.
Ghedina, one of Italy’s best-known downhill skiers, and Maze, a two-time Olympic gold medalist and four-time world champion, led opposing teams of four young skiers selected by the regional committee of the Italian Winter Sports Federation. The competition was held on an artificial slope and consisted of two runs.
The program continued in Trieste on Saturday afternoon, with an awards ceremony and greetings from local officials scheduled for 5:30 p.m. in Piazza Unità d’Italia, followed by an autograph session with the athletes.
The initiative will continue on Jan. 9, 2027, with the Winter Cup on the Di Prampero slope in Tarvisio, a venue that has hosted women’s Alpine Ski World Cup races. The nighttime giant slalom will invite participants from the Barcolana sailing regatta and its associated sporting events to compete on skis.
Organizers have reserved 77 places for members of the Barcolana community. Participants may include representatives of boats that finish first and last in eligible categories of the main regatta, as well as competitors from Barcolana Fun, Barcolana SUP and Barcolana Nuota.
Ghedina and Maze are scheduled to serve as official forerunners for the Tarvisio race. Course inspection is planned for about 7:30 p.m., followed by the start at 8 p.m. and an awards ceremony at 9:45 p.m. Organizers describe the event as a promotional gathering rather than a conventional competitive race.
A photographic exhibition documenting the initiative’s first edition is also on view at the headquarters of the Friuli Venezia Giulia Regional Council in Trieste. Titled “Barcolana Ski — Alpine Skiing With a View of the Sea,” it features images of Ghedina, Maze and former champions Elisabeth Görgl and Ivica Kostelić, who led teams of young skiers in 2024.
The exhibition, which opened Oct. 1, is scheduled to remain open through Oct. 29, except on days when the regional assembly meets.
By connecting the Karst plateau, the Adriatic coast and the Alpine resorts around Tarvisio, Barcolana Ski aims to promote the range of landscapes and outdoor activities available across Friuli Venezia Giulia. The project uses the visibility of the Barcolana, Trieste’s annual international sailing regatta, to draw attention to destinations beyond the waterfront and encourage connections between different sporting communities.
