The international top event in paralympic skiing starts this weekend in Sestriere, Italy

Milan, Italy, 14 January 2011 – Infront Sports & Media is providing the international television signal for the 2011 IPC Alpine Skiing World Championships in Sestriere, Italy from 15-23 January 2011. The event is being organised by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and attracts the best paralympic athletes from all over the world.

Paralympic Alpine Skiing is currently practiced by athletes across 39 countries and is steadily growing. The competition accommodates both men and women, competing in three categories based on their functional ability. The IPC Alpine Skiing World Championships in Sestriere will see more than 130 competitors participating in the event and include six disciplines - Downhill, Super-G, Super Combined, Giant Slalom, Slalom and the Team Event.

 

Production and distribution of media rights

In collaboration with Global Production (an Italian-based production company), Infront produces the international TV signal for the Downhill and the Super-G competitions, using up to 10 cameras and involving almost 30 staff. A number of races will be produced live. In addition, Infront is looking after the distribution of media rights. Broadcasters including major channels such as RAI in Italy, ORF in Austria and CBC in Canada will be covering the event.

 

To deliver exciting sports images and allow as many ski fans as possible to follow the competition on their TV screens, Infront is taking advantage of its leading position in the world of winter sports and its experience of production from other major events such as the FIS World Cup, the IIHF World Championship and the FIBT World Cup.

 

About the IPC

Founded on 22 September 1989, the IPC is an international non-profit organisation formed and run by 167 National Paralympic Committees (NPCs) from five regions and four disability specific international sports federations (IOSDs). The IPC organises the Summer and Winter Paralympic Games and serves as the International Federation for nine sports, for which it supervises and co-ordinates the World Championships and other competitions.

 

Infront and Winter Sports

Infront Sports & Media, based in Zug, Switzerland, has grown impressively in recent years and is today one of the leading international sports marketing agencies in the world. The company employs more than 500 employees across 24 offices in 10 countries and enjoys long-lasting partnerships with around 130 rights holders and hundreds of commercial partners.

 

Infront has focused strongly on developing its role in winter sports, to the point that it now represents six of seven Olympic winter sport federations at international level. This includes a long-term partnership with the IIHF in world ice hockey and a major role in international skiing, where it manages more than 90% of the media and/or marketing rights to FIS World Cup events. Partnerships with the FIBT for bobsleigh and skeleton, FIL for luge, the IBU for biathlon and the WCF for curling complete Infront’s winter sports portfolio. As a result Infront is able to offer the very best winter sports opportunities from one central source. In addition, to be noted, IGBS (the joint-venture between Infront subsidiary HBS and IMG Media) will act as host broadcaster of the Asian Winter Games in Astana and-Almaty, starting on 30 January 2011.

 

For further information, please contact:

 

Jörg Polzer / Nike Möhle

Corporate Communications

Infront Sports & Media AG

Tel. +41-41-723 15 15

Fax +41-41-723 15 16

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