Shymbulak Gears Up for FIS Freestyle World Cup: Fan Guide
Shymbulak Mountain Resort in Almaty to Host FIS Freestyle World Cup Stage
The Shymbulak Mountain Resort in Almaty, Kazakhstan, is set to host a stage of the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) Freestyle World Cup from Feb. 28 to March 2. Athletes from 18 countries will gather at this picturesque location to compete in the thrilling freestyle skiing and snowboarding events.
According to a recent article on Informburo, the resort has spared no effort in making extensive preparations to ensure that the event meets international standards. Two specially designed tracks have been created for the competition: mogul skiing and ski acrobatics. The mogul track, consisting of 44 mounds and two jumps, spans 230 meters, while the ski acrobatics track features jumps with a 70-degree slope to challenge the best freestyle skiers in the world.
Building these world-class tracks required substantial effort, with approximately 15,000 cubic meters of snow utilized for the mogul track and 35,000 cubic meters for the jumps. State-of-the-art equipment like snowcats and winches were employed, along with manual shaping for the mounds and jumps. Sergey Ivanov, an international master of freestyle sports, oversaw the construction process to ensure the tracks meet international standards.
The FIS Freestyle World Cup will feature two disciplines: mogul skiing and ski acrobatics. In mogul skiing, athletes navigate a steep track with artificial mounds and perform acrobatic jumps, showcasing their technique, speed, and the complexity of their moves. Ski acrobatics, on the other hand, involves intricate aerial maneuvers like somersaults and twists, with judges evaluating the difficulty of the jump, its execution, and the landing technique.
Over 100 athletes, including Olympic and World Championship medalists, are expected to compete in this prestigious event. Kazakhstan will be represented by top freestyle skiers such as Yulia Galysheva, a bronze medalist at the 2018 Winter Olympics and World Champion in moguls in 2019, along with promising talents like Anastasia Gorodko and Pavel Kolmakov.
The competition will kick off on Feb. 28 with the Individual Mogul event, followed by the Parallel Mogul on March 1, and culminate with Aerial Skiing on March 2. Fans eager to witness the action can attend the event without needing a special ticket for the competition. A ski pass or cable car ticket grants access, with a special Freestyle Competitions tariff of 11,500 tenge (US$23) allowing spectators to utilize the cable car across all three days. Prime viewing locations include the La Scala restaurant terrace for mogul events and the Shymbulak base station for ski acrobatics.
Don’t miss this exciting opportunity to witness top athletes from around the world showcase their skills at the FIS Freestyle World Cup stage in Shymbulak Mountain Resort. It promises to be a thrilling and unforgettable experience for all winter sports enthusiasts.
