Crans-Montana 2027: the coutdown is on

In 1,164 days, Crans-Montana will host the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships for the second time in its history. The Crans-Montana 2027 Association has been meticulously preparing for this event since its inception. This Saturday, 25 November 2023, the first tangible elements were unveiled, notably the new visual identity for these World Championships, which was unveiled at a public ceremony in Crans-Montana.

When an event takes shape…

A project as unique as the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships deserves a fitting visual identity. For Crans-Montana 2027 it is intended to be unifying and dynamic, providing both local and national anchorage. It is made up of three main elements:

• the logo, which represents a redesigned snowflake. The chevrons symbolise both the influence of a major event and the convergence of all the athletes and nations. Their counterform creates a star, the symbol of Valais;
• bold, assertive typography which embodies modernity, sport and energy in general;
• vibrant colours, with the dark blue of the FIS, the light blue symbolising winter and snow, and red to embody sport and passion, and as a direct reminder of the colours of Valais and Switzerland.

The audience at the launch event were just as impressed. "Introducing the visual identity represents the first tangible stage of the organisation, and it marks the transition between the bid and the concrete implementation phase. The event is literally taking shape, and we wanted to bring this logo to life and share this step with the whole skiing family", explains Didier Défago.

In line with this new visual identity, the www.cransmontana2027.ch website and all the communications media has been completely redesigned in the event's new colours.

A solid foundation

Besides the design of the visual identity, important groundwork has already been taking place since the announcement in May 2022 that the FIS (International Ski Federation) had awarded the 2027 FIS Alpine World Championships to the resort:

As of 1 January 2023, the Crans-Montana 2027 Association is the organiser of the 2027 World Championships. It is made up of members of Swiss-Ski and representatives of local bodies (specifically the municipalities, the ski lifts and the Canton of Valais). The steering committee, chaired by Urs Lehmann, defines the strategic vision, while Didier Défago (CEO) and Daniel Bollinger (director of operations) are responsible for operational management.

In summer 2023, the Nationale piste received its official re-homologation, a prerequisite for hosting international competitions. The piste was used in 1987 for the men's events, then for World Cups until 2012, and it will host men's events as well as giant slaloms in 2027. For this to happen, various technical and safety aspects need to be updated to comply with current regulations. Lots of visits and inspections have made it possible to define the work that needs to be carried out between now and 2027.

In October 2023, a rescaled project for the finish area was put out to public enquiry. Working closely with the organising committee, the Crans-Montana municipalities have drawn up a project for complete renovation of the existing finish building, while also creating a large underground parking and storage facility. By upgrading the existing building and reducing the footprint while still meeting all FIS requirements, this project seems perfectly suited to the annual World Cup events, and will be supplemented by temporary infrastructure during the World Championships.

More information: www.cransmontana2027.ch