The FIS Alpine World Ski Championships are organized by the International Ski Federation (FIS). The first world championships in alpine skiing were held in 1931. During the 1930s, the event was held annually in Europe, until interrupted by the outbreak of World War II, preventing a 1940 event. An event was held in 1941, but included competitors only from nations from the Axis powers (or nations not at war with them), and the results were later cancelled by the FIS in 1946 because of the limited number of participants, so they are not considered official.
Following the war, the championships were connected with the Olympics for several decades. From 1948–82, the competition was held every two years, with the Winter Olympics acting as the World Championships in Olympic years, and a separate competition held in even-numbered non-Olympic years. The 1950 World Championships in Aspen were the first official championships separate of the Olympics since 1939, and the first held outside of Europe.
During Olympic years, extra World Championships medals were awarded in the combined event, using the results of the slalom and downhill events, as the combined did not return as an official Olympic event until 1988. Since 1985, the World Championships have been scheduled in odd-numbered years, independent of the Winter Olympics. A lack of snow in southern Spain in 1995 caused a postponement of the World Championships to the following year.
Read more about FIS Alpine World Ski Championships: Hosts, Events, Skiers With Most Medals, Medals By Country
Famous quotes containing the words alpine, world and/or ski:
“Reason now gazes above the realm of the dark but warm feelings as the Alpine peaks do above the clouds. They behold the sun more clearly and distinctly, but they are cold and unfruitful.”
—G.C. (Georg Christoph)
“We mustn’t complain too much of being comedians—it’s an honourable profession. If only we could be good ones the world might gain at least a sense of style. We have failed—that’s all. We are bad comedians, we aren’t bad men.”
—Graham Greene (1904–1991)
“The goal for all blind skiers is more freedom. You don’t have to see where you’re going, as long as you go. In skiing, you ski with your legs and not with your eyes. In life, you experience things with your mind and your body. And if you’re lacking one of the five senses, you adapt.”
—Lorita Bertraun, Blind American skier. As quoted in WomenSports magazine, p. 29 (January 1976)