At the foot of the three thousand meter (ten thousand foot) peaks of the Vedrette di Ries-Aurina/Rieserferner-Ahrn Nature Park, over sixty kilometers (nearly forty miles) of groomed cross country ski trails stretch through the white of winter. The Biathlon World Cup race also takes place here every year.
In the Valle Anterselva-Antholzertal, it snows abundantly. Every year. And while conifers creak under the weight of the snow and so many villagers moan and groan about shoveling, cross country skiing and biathlon enthusiasts are perfectly pleased about it. Because Anterselva is their Mecca.
Here, in the “Arena Alto Adige” biathlon and cross country skiing center, over sixty kilometers (nearly forty miles) of groomed cross country ski trails are combined into tours of different degrees of difficulty through the white of the winter landscape across the frozen Lago d’Anterselva-Antholzer See lake up to the food of the Passo Stalle-Staller Sattel pass, where the breathtaking scenery of the Vedrette di Ries-Rieserferner chain of mountains seems to be close enough to touch.
The trails can be traversed not only in the classic style, but also with the skating variety of athletic activities, such as roller skiing or jogging.
Enough of the easy stuff. In Anterselva, at the “Arena Alto Adige”, the Biathlon World Cup takes place annually. And every year, the public makes the grandstands tremble. The World Cup races are the main event in a spectacular weekend. The show of athletic prowess is also surrounded by impressive events, such as live music and fan parties that go late into the night. The renowned biathlon World Cup race is more than just a sporting event in the midst of the wild and breathtakingly beautiful mountain scenery. This is where winter itself is celebrated.
