FIS race talk with AIJS Skieur d’or and AIJS Prix Armando Trovati

FIS Race Talk 2024 AIJS Prix Armando Trovati 2024 Getty Images German photographer Alexander Hassenstein wins the AIJS Prix Trovati for his photo of Mikaela Shiffrin (USA). © P. TeyssotAlexander Hassenstein, German Photojournalist for Getty Images beat a strong field of photographers and was named the winner of the AIJS Prix Armando Trovati 2024 for his photograph of Mikaela Shiffrin in the 2nd run of the Women’s Giant Slalom during the Audi FIS Alpine Ski World Cup at Rettenbachferner on October 28, 2023 in Soelden, Austria.

Alex wins ahead of a selection of 12 other photographs who qualified for the final list and for the annual exhibition that you will discover on social media : Jean-Christophe Bott (Keystone),  Martin Divisek (EPA), Alexis Boichard (Zoom), Jonathan Nackstrand (OIS),  Gabriele Facciotti (AP), Mariusz Stychno, Lisi Niesner (Reuters) Giovanni Auleta (AP)  Loenhard Foeger (Reuters) Sergio Bisi, Alain Grosclaude (Zoom) and Gianpaolo Piazzi.

The AIJS would like to thank all the photographers who entered their pictures in this year’s contest and the panel of judges: AIJS President, M. Patrick Lang, FIS General Secretary, Michel Vion, Wire Agency Representatives Sandra Auger & Christian Hartmann (Reuters), Alessandro and Marco Trovati and ski expert Kristian Gedhina.

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MARCO ODERMATT (SUI) SKIEUR D’OR AIJS –SERGE LANG TROPHY 2024

FIS Race Talk 2024 – AIJS Awards. AIJS Prix Armando Trovati 2024 and – Skieur d’Or – Serge Lang Trophy 2024; One day ahead of the opening race of the Alpine Ski World Cup in Soelden, Austria on October 25, 2024; Marco Odermatt (SUI) is the Skieur D’or 2024 and Getty Images German photographer Alexander Hassenstein wins the AIJS Prix Trovati for his photo of Mikaela Shiffrin (USA). © Pierre Teyssot

Following his amazing 2023/24 season marked by his 13 victories on the World Cup tour and four more crystal globes, matching Hermann Maier in 2001 and Pirmin Zurbriggen in 1987, it’s not a great surprise that Switzerland’s Marco Odermatt was again elected “Skieur d’Or”  AIJS – Serge Lang Trophy by the majority of the members of the 72-year-old association.

The 27-year-old champion also won the award in 2022 after achieving his first major world class performances in clinching gold in giant slalom at the Olympics and capturing the first of three overall World Cup standings. Last winter was also similarly impressive with his maiden World Cup triumphs in downhill at Wengen and his fantastic series of successes in giant slalom. Odermatt won nine of them in a row before unfortunately skiing out at the Finals in Saalbach while fighting to equal the record of ten consecutive season-wins in the specialty!

With his 37 victories on the World Cup circuit since December 2019, Marco is only three wins away from the Swiss record of 40 first places from his role model, Pirmin Zurbriggen. This record is one of his main goals this winter along with a first victory on the “Streif” at Kitzbuehel. It’s quite possible to imagine that his determination and his class will help Marco Odermatt to amass many more triumphs in the next decade if he remains healthy.

The champion from Buochs, near Lucerne, is not only popular because his outmost aggressive style on the racing slopes, but also for his kindness with his fans and his keen availability for the representatives of the international media. His supporters and the racing community greatly appreciate his enthusiastic team-spirit which animates him when he watches one of his teammates cruising down the difficult racing courses – as it was for instance the case at Bormio in December 2023. Marco also built-up friendly ties with some of his main rivals such as Aleksander Aamodt Kilde or Cyprien Sarrazin as spectators could see after the cancelled downhill at the Finals in Saalbach!

A dozen other top champions including Lara Gut Behrami, Mikaela Shiffrin, Cornelia Huetter, Federica Brignone, Cyprien Sarrazin and Loic Meillard also received votes from members of the AIJS! The Joska Trophy will be awarded on Friday afternoon during the FIS Presentation at Soelden.

AIJS Skieur d’Or 2014-2024 – Anna Veith (2014/15), Marcel Hirscher (2015,16/18), Mikaela Shiffrin (2017,19/23), Federica Brignone (2020), Alexis Pinturault (2021), Marco Odermatt (2022/24).

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Before Forum Alpinum – Media Race Talk in Sölden, AIJS with his president Patrick Lang attends for the first time the 45^th Forum Nordicum, organised by Thorsten vom Wege in Lenzerheide, home of the IBU World Championships 2025 with also for the first time a presentation of the Alpine Ski events of the season and especially the presentation of FIS Alpine World Ski Championships 2025 in Saalbach.

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AIJS General Assembly Invitation

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

The board of the International Association of Ski Journalists (AIJS) is pleased to inviting you at our next meetings and get-together events at Sölden! As usual, our yearly General Assembly is taking place on Thursday, October 24^th, at 1:30 PM sharp inside the Hotel Central in the meeting room located on the left side of the bar already used a year ago!

Our traditional AIJS Dinner is again scheduled at 8.15 PM that Thursday evening, back inside the Oetztaler Stube the Hotel Central. Members having paid their fee or planning to do so at Soelden obviously are kindly invited to attend. We’ll be celebrating 61^st year of AIJS in company of our friends from Saalbach 2025 and from the SRS.

The presentation of the 62^nd “AIJS Skieur d’Or – Serge Lang Trophy” will once more take place on Friday afternoon at the Forum Alpinum – Media Race Talk in the new location chosen by FIS. Afterwards, the now established 7th AIJS “Prix Armando Trovati” Photo Award will also be presented there on the 25th.

Various media activities are planned in Soelden: please see https://www.soelden.com/skiworldcup-press-media

Thanks for your interest and we hope to see you soon in Austria.

Patrick Lang (President AIJS), Pierre Teyssot (VP AIJS)

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Dear photojournalists,

After the Paris 2024 Games, we already think about winter season and for the photographers it’s the right moment to send THE picture of the last season to take part in the 7th edition of the AIJS Photo Ski Contest Prix Armando Trovati

Just have a look at our rules and then send your best picture contest@prixarmandotrovati.com

New Dead line to send your picture: October 11,  2024

FIS appoints new Communications Director

FIS would like to inform that long-standing Communications Director Jenny Wiedeke has left the federation at the end of April. We wish Jenny all the best for the future and thank her very much for her years of dedication and engagement.

It is with great pleasure that we announce the appointment of Bruno Sassi to the position of Communications Director.

More news from the FIS and Milano Cortina – CIO 

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    Christian Bruna wins the 6th edition of the AIJS Photo Contest Prix Armando Trovati

EPA’s Photographer Christian Bruna was honoured at the Hahnenkamm Races Media Evening at Hotel Tiefenbrunner, in Kitzbühel, Austria on the 17th of January 2024.

He finally received his Trophy from Marco Trovati (left on the first picture) for it’s victory at the 6th photo ski contest « AIJS Prix Armando Trovati » for his picture of Marco Odermatt at the start of the Streif.

Special Thanks to KSC President, Kitzbühel Tourismus and to Wolfgang Leitner, Chief of Press Operations for the Hahnenkamm Races.

To read more

Media evening with photographer award (hahnenkamm.com)

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Christian Bruna is the Winner of the 6th AIJS Photo Contest Prix Armando Trovati 2023

Sixty years after naming the late Austrian Champion Egon Zimmermann, downhill Olympic champion in 1964, as first recipient of the “Skieur d’Or AIJS” award in occasion of the 1963 Arlberg Kandahar event at Chamonix, following great wins at major “Ski Classics” at Kitzbühel and Megève, members of the AIJS elected USA’s Mikaela Shiffrin as the 2023 “Skieur d’Or AIJS – Serge Lang Trophy”.

It’s the third time that the 28-year-old athlete from Colorado has been chosen by a short majority of members to be recognized as the “Skier of the Season” following her amazing achievements on the World Cup Tour and at the FIS World Championships in France. Already seven and four years ago, Mikaela was awarded that AIJS Crystal Trophy produced by Joska, in Bodenmais, Bavaria, several months after clinching her first overall World Cup titles at the Finals at Aspen and in Andorra in 2019 – with a total of 17 victories during the past months.

Last winter, Mikaela became the most successful racer ever on the circuit with her 88 victories scored since 2012 – two more than skiing legend Ingemar Stenmark. She received her fifth overall Crystal Globe at Soldeu a month after capturing her ninth gold medal at Meribel winning the giant slalom.

Shiffrin, entering now her 13^th World Cup season, is now the only woman having been elected for a third time “Skieur d’Or AIJ”. Previous US recipients are Phil Mahre in 1983, Bode Miller in 2005 and Lindsey Vonn in 2009! Only Swiss Pirmin Zurbriggen and Austria’s Marcel Hirscher did “better” so far with four “wins”.

“Both Mikaela and Marco Odermatt were impressive last winter, alpine ski racing is very lucky to have such kind of leaders competing on the circuit, they really are remarkable not only on the snow but also in their normal life,” said AIJS President Patrick Lang about Shiffrin most recent success.

“They are also great examples of fairness and class outside of the slopes and strongly contribute to the promotion of snow sports around the globe,” Lang adds. “In fact, only a few votes separate them at the end of the election earlier this week. The journalists greatly appreciate her interviews and the time she dedicate to them after her races. To consider her as a role model in the ski world nearly is an understatement considering all her ideas, opinions or emotions she is sharing with them and the public in her social media activity”, Patrick Lang also said.

Half a dozen of other top-champions also received votes for the 2023 “AIJS Skieur d’Or” including

Lucas Braathen and his teammate Aleksander Kilde both from Norway or Switzerland’s Jasmine Flury, the FIS gold medal winner in downhill at Meribel last February-

Mikaela Shiffrin is receiving the beautiful Cristal Trophy organized by FIS and created by Joska at the end of the “FIS Forum Alpinum” held in the Oetztaler Arena at Soelden, Austria on Friday Oct. 27^st in the afternoon.  Members of AIJS wish her and all the other leaders a successful and enjoyable ski season.

Winners – “AIJS Skieur d’Or “ – Serge Lang Trophy 2010 – C. Janka (SUI) 2011 – I. Kostelic (CRO) 2012 – M. Hirscher (AUT) 2013 – T. Maze (SLO) 2014 – A. Fenninger (AUT) 2015 – A. Fenninger (AUT) & M. Hirscher (AUT) – 2016 & 2018 Marcel Hirscher – 2019 Mikaela Shiffrin (USA) – 2020 Federica Brignone (ITA) — 2021 Alexis Pinturault (FRA) – 2022 Marco Odermatt (SUI)

Follow / Suivre l’AIJS

Twitter- X / Instagram @PATrovati

Tiktok.com/@Skieurdor

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ANNUAL COTISATION FEE 35 €

Here is our Bank Account:

AIJS (ASSOCIATION INTERNATIONALE DES JOURNALISTES DE SKI )
Südtiroler Volksbank, Filiale St.Ulrich,  S. Durich-Platz 3, I-39046 – ST.ULRICH / Alto Adige
IBAN: IT11 V058 5658 6800 6357 1214 991 BIC/SWIFT: BPAAIT2B063

 

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AIJS Skieur d’Or and Prix Armando Trovati winners

Along with the awarding of the Skieur d’Or, Serge Lang Trophy 2022 (Switzerland Marco Odermatt wins it), the AIJS (Association International Ski Journalists) is also proud to announce the winner of the Fifth edition of the AIJS Photo ski Contest, known as the Prix Armando Trovati award.

Reuters Austrian Chief photographer Leonhard Foeger beat out a strong field of entered photos and was named the winner of the Prix Armando Trovati for his photograph of Switzerlands’s Stefan Rogentin during FIS AUDI Super G World Cup race in Wengen, Switzerland, January 13, 2022.

Leonhard Foeger, Chief Photographer Austria Thomson Reuters : “I was born in the small city of Ried im Innkreis, the home of Fischer ski, August 6, 1965. When Franz Klammer won the downhill gold medal during Innsbruck Olympics in 1976 I was still in school and not even dreaming about being a alpine ski photographer at one time in my life. I finished school in 1984 and moved to Vienna to study agriculture at University. But in 1987 I joined a College for Photography at Vienna’s so called Graphische photo school.
In 1993 when I made my first step into REUTERS I also had to shoot alpine skiing. Since then I covered Alpine Ski World Cup, Alpine Ski World Championships and of course Alpine skiing at Olympic games until now. “

12 other photographs were also selected for the annual exhibition that you can also discover on social media each month @PATrovati : Sébastien Boué (L’Equipe), Alexander Hassenstein (Bongarts / Getty Images), Elvis Piazzi, Lisi Niesner (Reuters), Fabrice Coffrini (Agence France-Presse), Jean Christophe Bott (Keystone), Bisi Luciano, Alexis Boichard (Zoom), Denis Balibouse (Reuters), Giovanni Pizzato, Francesca Soli.

AIJS would like to thank all of the photographers who entered their pictures in this year’s contest and the panel of judges: AIJS President, M. Patrick Lang, FIS Deputy Secretary General, Niklass Carlsson, Wire Agency Representative Eric GAILLARD (Reuters), Alessandro and Marco Trovati and Aksel Lund Svindal.

AIJS Skieur d’Or Serge Lang Trophy and Prix Armando Trovati Ski Photo Contest winners will be annouced during Forum Alpinum on 21st October at Sölden

AIJS SKIEUR D’OR – SERGE LANG TROPHY 2022

FOR MARCO ODERMATT

Twelve Years after his former teammate Carlo Janka in 2010, Switzerland’s Marco Odermatt also achieved an impressive “hat-trick” as he has been elected “Skieur d’Or AIJS” 2022 by the member of the association several months after capturing Olympic gold in China and the overall World Cup crystal globe thanks to his remarkable 2021/22 season. This year, the AIJS Trophy will also be showcased by longtime FIS and new AIJS partner AUDI, presenting sponsor of the “Audi Alpine Ski World Cup” since the early 2000s.

Odermatt, who just turned 25 a few weeks ago, has been the dominant athlete on the men’s tour with his outstanding series of performances in giant slalom and his numerous podium finishes in Super-G and Downhill. He became the eighth Swiss champion to be awarded that prize since 1963 to equal Austria’s Marcel Hirscher and Slovenia’s Tina Maze who also collected the AIJS Serge Lang Trophy in the recent years following successful Olympic and World Cup campaigns.

A multiple FIS Junior World Champion in 2016 and 2018, Marco quickly confirmed his huge potential on the World Cup circuit afterwards, reaching his first podium at Kranjska Gora, Slovenia, in March 2019 before celebrating his maiden World Cup win a few months later in Super-G at Beaver Creek, USA. His fans expect him now to soon increase his total of 11 wins and 29 podium finishes on the major international tour. A first triumph in downhill may also occur sooner than later!

“Marco definitely is a very deserving choice by  a large majority of our members who greatly enjoy his fairness and their excellent interactions during the past seasons. He is not only an astonishing champion but also wonderful role model who greatly enriches the World Cup scene,” said AIJS President Patrick Lang about Odermatt’s latest success. “We are very lucky to have the opportunity to be reporting about such a charismatic character.”

Half a dozen of other top-champions also received votes for the 2022 “AIJS Skieur d’Or” including “comeback” racer Johannes Strolz, from Austria, the 2022 combined Olympic champion in China, Swiss Beat Feuz, one of the few speed specialists having won gold at FIS Worlds, Olympics and the “Classics” downhill races at Wengen and Kitzbühel besides clinching several crystal globes in past years. Triple Olympic champion Matthias Mayer, British slalom sensation Dave Ryding, Italy’s Sofia Goggia or USA’s Mikaela Shiffrin too were named by several members of the AIJS.

Marco Odermatt is scheduled to receive the beautiful Cristal Trophy organized by FIS and created by Joska at the end of the “FIS Forum Alpinum” held in the Oetztaler Arena at Soelden on Friday Oct. 21^st in the afternoon.  Members of AIJS wish Marco and all the other leaders a successful and enjoyable ski season.

Winners – “AIJS Skieur d’Or “ – Serge Lang Trophy 2010721 – C. Janka (SUI) 2011 – I. Kostelic (CRO) 2012 – M. Hirscher (AUT) 2013 – T. Maze (SLO) 2014 – A. Fenninger (AUT) 2015 – A. Fenninger (AUT) & M. Hirscher (AUT) – 2016 & 2018 Marcel Hirscher – 2019 Mikaela Shiffrin (USA) – 2020 Federica Brignone (ITA) — 2021 Alexis Pinturault (FRA).

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ENGLISH VERSION BELOW

Liebe Kolleginnen und Kollegen,

AIJS freut sich auf ein baldiges Wiedersehen beim Weltcup-Opening in Sölden. Unsere jährliche Generalversammlung findet am Donnerstag, den 20. Oktober 2022 statt – im Hotel Central um 12.30 Uhr.

Das traditionelle und stets geschätzte AIJS-Essen findet endlich wieder am Donnerstagabend, um ca. 20.30 Uhr im Hotel Central, in der schönen Ötztaler-Stube statt.

Die Übergabe des „Skieur d’Or-AIJS“ erfolgt, dank Zusage der Kommunikations-Abteiling der FIS, am Freitagnachmittag, den 21. Oktober, beim Forum Alpinum in der Freizeit Arena Sölden. Anschließend wird wieder der AIJS-Fotopreis „Prix Armando Trovati“ vergeben.

Die Mitgliedsausweise für die kommende Saison werden vor der Versammlung im Sitzungssaal des Hotel Central ausgehändigt. Der Mitgliedsbeitrag beträgt weiterhin 35 €/Person.

Wir bitten euch die Beiträge nach Möglichkeit noch vor der Generalversammlung auf folgendes Konto zu überweisen. Damit erspart ihr uns viel Arbeit.

ENGLISH

Dear Colleagues,

AIJS is looking forward to seeing you soon again at the World Cup Opening in Soelden. Our annual general assembly will be held on Thursday, October 20^th, 2022 – at the Hotel Central at 12.30 p.m.

The traditional and always appreciated AIJS meal will finally take place again on Thursday evening at around 8.30 p.m. in the Hotel Central, in the beautiful Oetztaler-Stube.

The presentation of the « Skieur d’Or-AIJS » will take place, thanks to the support of the FIS communication department on Friday afternoon, October 21st, at the Forum Alpinum in the Freizeit Arena Soelden. The AIJS photo prize “Prix Armando Trovati” will then be awarded afterwards.

Membership cards for the coming season will be handed out before/at the meeting in the Hotel Central. The membership fee is still 35.- €/person.

If possible, we ask you to transfer the contributions to the following account before the General Assembly. This saves us a lot of work.

Account :

AIJS ASSOCIATION INTERNATIONALE DES JOURNALISTES DE SKI
Südtiroler Volksbank, Filiale St.Ulrich, S. Durich-Platz 3, 39046 – ST.ULRICH
IBAN: IT11 V058 5658 6800 6357 1214 991
BIC/SWIFT: BPAAIT2B063

Links:

https://www.soelden.com/covid-19-safety-measures.html

https://www.soelden.com/skiworldcup-press-media

Thanks in advance and best regards.

Vielen Dank und bis bald
Mit kollegialen Grüßen

Patrick Lang (President AIJS)

Georg Frausl (VP AIJS)

Michael Smejkal (VP AIJS)

Pierre Teyssot (VP AIJS)

www.aijs.eu

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Skieur d’Or AIJS 2022

Dear members, colleagues and friends of AIJS please take a minute to read about the upcoming presentation of the 60^th « Skieur d’Or AIJS » launched by a group of international ski journalists back in 1963 – when they elected our late friend Egon Zimmerman as « Skieur d’Or-AIJS » at the end of the season. Some of you may remember that Zimmermann, downhill Olympic champion at Innsbruck in 1964, has been part of the award ceremony of the first of four well deserved AIJS Trophies given to Marcel Hirscher ten years ago!

In the past decades, a great majority of the leading champions of modern Alpine Ski Racing have been named by our association as « Skier of the Season » for their performances, charisma and constructive relationships with the media representatives. Recently, our group selected several strong personalities such as Mikaela Shiffrin in 2019, Federica Brignone in 2020 and Alexis Pinturault in 2021 who all accomplished great feats during their successful campaign.

Last season too was pretty exciting to follow for the fans and the insiders with some intense and spectacular battles between some established champions and their younger ambitious challengers who fought hard to claim their own part of glory, Olympic gold and crystal globes during the winter.

The impressive season end of Mikaela Shiffrin which helped her to capture her forth big globe during the Finals at Courchevel, the duals in downhill between Norway’s Aleksander Kilde and Swiss veteran Beat Feuz, the amazing displays of Swiss ace Marco Odermatt or the dominance of Slovakia’s Petra Vlhova in slalom contributed to produce one of the most exciting season of recent years.

Many other top champions also achieved remarkable performances such as Norway’s Henrik Kristoffersen in getting another slalom globe or Sara Hector’s fabulous comeback several years after sustaining a rough injury also marked the season as well as Lara Gut’s first Olympic gold medal in China where Italy’s Sofia Goggia proved once more her high level of class and determination. Mathias Mayer also achieved a spectacular performance in China with his third Olympic gold medal in eight years while Swiss Corinne Sutter crowned her career there with a second gold medal in downhill after her win at Cortina d’Ampezzo in February 2021.

For sure, we were lucky to have had once more the chance to watch so many top champions moving at their best level during the past winter – which makes it again pretty challenging to choose next the « Champion of Champions », the « Skier of the Season » Trophy awarded by the AIJS.  So it’s up to you dear colleagues to take over that difficult task after the 2021/21 winter. Please send your (Single) vote to skieurdor@aijs.eu. Thanks in advance.

In the meantime I wish you a nice start to the coming ski season.

Best regards

Patrick Lang
President AIJS

Coordinator  ”Skieur d’Or” AIJS

 

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Alexis Pinturault is the AIJS Skieur d’Or 2021 – Elvis Piazzi wins the AIJS Prix Armando Trovati 2021

Alexis Pinturault is the AIJS Skieur d’Or 2021 Serge Lang Trophy winner

Communiqué en Français à la suite de l’anglais

« Skieur d’Or AIJS – Serge Lang Trophy” 2021

First  AIJS Award for Alexis Pinturault (FRA).

For the first time since 1997, a majority of members of the AIJS (Association Internationale des Journalistes de Ski) decided to elect a French racer, Alexis Pinturault, as the “Skieur d’Or AIJS” for the 2021 season in recognition of his recent achievements and his agreeable personality. That year, it was the very charismatic Luc Alphand, the second Frenchman to clinch the overall World Cup title after JC Killy in 1967 and 1968, who was elected as “Skieur d’Or AIJS” following his numerous successes in events in past years.

In March 2021, Pinturault became the only third skier in the French team to capture the big crystal globe during the Finals at Lenzerheide, in Switzerland, and this on his 30^th birthday, in March 20^th! With a total of 34 victories and a total of 74 podiums on the World Cup tour in the past ten years and multiple medals at recent Olympics and FIS World Championships including gold in combined at Are 2019, Alexis is one of the most successful athletes on the tour as well as one of the best “allrounders” with wins in all alpine disciplines except downhill. From 2014 to 2020 he finished five times on the podium in the overall standings and was eight times 2^nd or 3^rd in the giant slalom classification before dominating his during the 2020/21 season with four victories!

Members of the International Association of the Ski Journalists also sent votes for other top champions such as Petra Vlhova (SVK), Lara Gut-Behrami (SUI), Beat Feuz (SUI), Sofia Goggia (ITA), Marco Odermatt (SUI), Mikaela Shiffrin (USA) who all together shared as much votes as Alexis Pinturault.

The vote for the 2021 “Skieur d’Or AIJS” was unfortunately delayed last fall by the Covid Pandemia which affected once again the normal process of voting and prevented the presentation of the AIJS Trophy created by Joska at Bodenmais and funded by FIS during the World Cup Opening at Soelden after the cancellation of the FIS Forum there. If possible, Alexis will be awarded during the final part of the season after the 2022 Olympics.

“As so often, the winners of the overall World Cup standings were clearly front runners in this year’s election but Alexis received by far the largest amount of votes from members from several countries,” commented AIJS President Patrick Lang, in charge since 1999 of the organization of the election process.

“All the racers named by our colleagues enjoyed great moments during the 2020/21 season and fully deserved to be part of this election. As an example, Petra Vlhova fought hard in all disciplines during the entire season to collect her first big Crystal globe while Lara Gut-Behrami had an amazing FIS World Championships at Cortina d’Ampezzo five years after her triumph in the overall standings.”

“All of us saw how dedicated Alexis has been in past seasons in his attempts to claim the big globe, so many believed that he fully deserved to finally clinch it. Alexis is a pleasant interview partner for reporters who appreciate his efforts to answer in several languages including English and German. We wish him much luck in his next competitions.”

FRANCAIS

 Récompense méritée pour Alexis Pinturault (FRA) Skieur d’or 2021

Pour la première fois depuis 1997, une majorité de membres de l’AIJS (Association Internationale des Journalistes de Ski) a décidé d’élire un coureur français, Alexis Pinturault, comme « Skieur d’Or AIJS » pour la saison 2021 en reconnaissance de ses succès et de sa personnalité sympathique. En 1997, ce fut le charismatique Luc Alphand, 2eme Tricolore à remporter le classement général de la Coupe du Monde après JC Killy en 1967 et 1968, qui fut élu « Skieur d’Or AIJS » à la suite à ses nombreux succès à la fin de sa brillante carrière.

Voici près d’un an, Alexis est enfin devenu le troisième skieur de l’Equipe de France à remporter le gros globe de cristal lors des Finales à Lenzerheide, en Suisse, et ce le 20 mars, jour de ses 30 ans ! Avec un total de 34 victoires pour 74 podiums sur le circuit de la Coupe du monde acquis lors de ces dix dernières années et de ses multiples médailles conquises aux Jeux Olympiques et aux Championnats du Monde FIS, dont l’or du combiné à Are 2019, le skieur de Courchevel est sans doute le champion le plus complet du circuit avec des victoires dans toutes les disciplines alpines sauf en descente. De 2014 à 2020, il avait déjà terminé cinq fois sur le podium au classement général et a terminé huit fois 2e ou 3e au classement du slalom géant avant de le gagner aussi à la fin de la saison 2020/21 avec quatre victoires !

Les membres de l’Association Internationale des Journalistes de Ski ont également fait parvenir des votes pour d’autres grands championnes et champions tels que Petra Vlhova (SVK), Lara Gut-Behrami (SUI), Sofia Goggia (ITA), Mikaela Shiffrin (USA) ainsi que Beat Feuz (SUI), Marco Odermatt (SUI), qui ont obtenu ensemble presque autant de votes qu’Alexis Pinturault.

Le vote pour le « Skieur d’Or AIJS » 2021 fut malheureusement à nouveau retardé l’automne dernier par la pandémie sanitaire qui a encore une fois affecté le processus normal de vote, empêchant notamment la remise du Trophée AIJS créé par Joska à Bodenmais et offert par la FIS lors du début de la Coupe à Sölden à la suite de l’annulation du Forum FIS là-bas. Il est maintenant prévu qu’Alexis reçoive sa récompense en fin de saison après les Jeux Olympiques de 2022.

« Comme c’est souvent le cas, les vainqueurs du classement général de la Coupe du monde étaient en tête de l’élection de cette année, mais Alexis a reçu de loin le plus grand nombre de votes de la part des membres de plusieurs pays », a commenté le président de l’AIJS, Patrick Lang, en charge depuis 1999 de la coordination du processus du vote. « Tous les coureurs proposés par nos collègues ont produit de grands exploits lors de la saison 2020/21 et méritaient pleinement de faire partie de cette élection. À titre d’exemple, Petra Vlhova s’est battue dans toutes les disciplines pendant toute la saison pour remporter son premier classement général tandis que Lara Gut-Behrami a particulièrement brillé lors des championnats du monde FIS à Cortina d’Ampezzo cinq ans après son triomphe au classement général de la Coupe du Monde. »

« Nous avons tous vu à quel point Alexis a lutté lors des saisons précédentes pour essayer de remporter le gros globe, et très nombreux furent ceux qui ont estimé qu’il méritait pleinement sa victoire. Alexis est un interlocuteur intéressant pour les journalistes de tous les pays qui apprécient également ses efforts pour leur répondre en plusieurs langues dont l’anglais et l’allemand. Nous lui souhaitons beaucoup de chance dans ses prochaines compétitions. »

Les gagnants de / Winners of the “AIJS Skieur d’Or “ – Serge Lang Trophy 2005-2020

2005 – B. Miller (USA) – 2006 – B. Raich (AUT) 2007 – A.L. Svindal (NOR) 2008 – M. Lanzinger (AUT) 2009 L. Vonn (USA) 2010 – C. Janka (SUI) 2011 – I. Kostelic (CRO) 2012 – M. Hirscher (AUT) 2013 – T. Maze (SLO) 2014 – A. Fenninger (AUT) 2015 – A. Fenninger (AUT)  & M. Hirscher (AUT) – 2016 & 2018 Marcel Hirscher -2019 Mikaela Shiffrin (USA) – 2020 Federica Brignone (ITA)

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Elvis Piazzi is the winner of the AIJS Prix Armando Trovati 2021

Along with the awarding of the Skieur d’Or, Serge Lang Trophy 2021 (French Alexis Pinturault wins it), the AIJS (Association International Ski Journalists) is also proud to announce the winner of the fourth edition of the AIJS Photo ski Contest, known as the Prix Armando Trovati award.

Italian photographer and Guardia di Finanzia officer Gianpaolo Piazzi, best known as Elvis Piazzi, beat out a strong field of entered photos and was named the winner of the Prix Armando Trovati for his photograph of Alexander Koell (SWE) in action during the men’s downhill on 19th December 2020 at the Audi FIS Alpine Ski World Cup race in Val Gardena (ITA).

The photo was taken at one of the most famous photo locations of the white circus, the Ciaslat on the Saslong slope.

Data of the photograph: Date: 19/12/2020 – Time:  – Model: Nikon D6 – Lens (mm): 500 ISO: 800 – Aperture: 5.6- Shutter: 1/2000 – Exp. Comp.: 0.3 – Flash Comp.:  Program: Manual

12 other photographs were also selected for the annual exhibition that you can also discover on social media each month @PATrovati : Alessandro Garofalo (Reuters), Andreas-Solaro (Agence France-Presse), Roby Trab, Sébastien Boué (L’Equipe), Erich Spiess (TirolFoto), Giovanni Pizzato, Francis-Bompard (Zoom), Leonhard Foeger (Reuters), Alexander Hassenstein (Bongarts / Getty Images), Gabriele Facciotti (Pentaphoto/AP), Lisi Niesner (Reuters), Jean Christophe Bott (Keystone).

AIJS would like to thank all of the photographers who entered their pictures in this year’s contest and the panel of judges: AIJS President, M. Patrick Lang, Jurg Capöl, FIS Marketing Director, Wire Agency Representative Madam Beatrice Larco (AP), Alessandro and Marco Trovati (1 vote) and Aksel Lund Svindal.

Previous AIJS Prix Aramndo trovati Winners

2018 Hans Bézard
2019 Fabrice Coffrini
2020 Giovanni Auletta
2021 (Elvis) Gianpolo Piazzi

Thanks to f-stop, FIS and Colmar for their great support

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Dear AIJS colleagues and friends from the ski world…

First of all, I wish you a Happy New Year 2022… In these mostly unpleasant and uncertain times, I can only hope that each of you remain in the best possible shape and avoids a possibly dangerous infection. The Pandemia strongly hurt again our organization last year, preventing us once more to meet early in the season at Soelden where it was not possible to hold in good conditions our main events – the General Assembly, the AIJS Dinner and the presentation of the « Skieur d’Or AIJS » during the traditional FIS Forum Alpinum which had also to be canceled for the second year in a row.

This unfortunate situation unfortunately also somehow derailed the normally smooth process of some of our operations including the exchange of information between us, the vote of the « Skieur d’Or AIJS” 2021

[…]

Yet in the best interest of our association that has been so successfully remodeled ten years ago by the previous active AIJS president Gernot Mussner and his partners Michael Schuen and Remo Geisser assisted by our friends Michael Smejkal and René de Boer, it’s time to move on and find ways to recover back some of our past momentum.

It surely is crucial to fight back and get going with some of our most popular trademarks such as the election of the « Skieur d’Or AIJS » 2021 and discuss other important initiatives able to boost our association, its role and its image within the World Cup tour.

[…]

I also wish to share with you my emotions losing some longtime companions and former (also honorary) members of our association such as FIS President GF Kasper who has been supporting us for a long time. Interestingly enough he has also been a journalist in his younger years as well as a very “proactive” interview partners for some of us.

While some of our longtime colleagues are either retired or no longer so active on the World Cup circuit, a few of them also left us forever, at least physically since we won’t fully forget them. Among them my longtime friend in cycling and also skiing, Piero Ratti, former reporter at the Gazzetta dello Sport, who has been covering snow sports for decades, including Nordic disciplines. It was also the case for another of our members, Alfredo Pigna from RAI in Italy who contributed so strongly to make Alpine racing so popular in his country in the 1980s and 1990s thanks to his interesting commentaries.

I felt sorry to have lost touch with him in recent years and one of my first reactions was to imagine a possibility that former members as him would remain in our group as « retired members » in order to keep track of them in a way or the other. What made the World Cup tour so pleasant in its earlier years was that special feeling of camaraderie and ties that linked us over all those years and sites… As a veteran myself, I can remember nearly hundreds of former colleagues who sometimes suddenly disappear without notice.

[…]

I would also like to inform the AIJS colleagues up to date with AIJS membership fee planning to attend the Lauberhorn event 2022 to let me know if they wish to benefit from the Lodging Discount Coupon of 200.- Chf per person in case of staying in Wengen during the competitions (answer me please at: aijspress@hotmail.com )

[…]

Best regards

Patrick Lang

President AIJS

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July 30, 2021

Dear friends and colleagues from the ski world !

Even though we are still in the middle of the summer, some of our partners from the OCs on the World Cup tour need to start their media organization for the next season. Among them our dear Ken Kilroe from Lake Louise who sent me an important message on the actual situation in Canada.

Please have a look and get back to him for more information if needed.

Best regards,

Patrick Lang

President AIJS

Hello,

The Race Organizing Committee for the Lake Louise Audi FIS Ski World Cup is  excited to be back on track for the men’s and women’s speed events in November and December in Lake Louise.

We are well into planning and preparing to welcome the world safely to the races  and would like to know how many media and photographers from outside Canada  to expect to join us in person. We are not looking for a commitment, we are just asking about your intentions. Should we have to request special consideration to avoid quarantine for out of country persons, given any potential for COVID-19 restrictions, we require some idea of numbers. We also want to be able to offer relevant information for those traveling internationally about our expectations regarding testing, vaccination, accommodation, food service and health and safety protocols when the time comes.

With the health and safety of the athletes, volunteers and community a top priority, we are planning and preparing to adapt to all government and public health orders. Under the guidance of Alberta Health Services and the FIS we are developing strategies to operationally manage expectations to mitigate the risk of COVID-19. We will be flexible and continue to pivot as needed so everyone can return safely to Lake Louise.

As COVID-19 continues to be an active pandemic, Alberta Health Services has developed provincial guidelines for the relaunch of many industries, including the event and sport tourism industry within the province. We strongly support the government and public health authority’s ongoing efforts to encourage vaccination against COVID-19 and it will be important that media and photographers are double vaccinated if attending in person to help us mitigate any risk to the event.

Please contact me directly by email by August 20 if you plan on coming to Lake Louise. Thank you for help in this matter, stay safe and we hope to see you soon.

Ken Kilroe

Chief of Media
Lake Louise Audi FIS Ski World Cup

ken.kilroe@winterstartevents.com

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Federica Brignone Skieur d’Or AIJS 2020

Twenty-five years after the great Alberto Tomba, another Italian
champion has been elected « Skieur d’Or AIJS » by the members of the
International Association of the Ski Journalists following the 2019/2020
season – Federica Brignone, the first Italian woman to clinch the
overall World Cup standings after a tremendous season.

It’s only the 20th time since the creation of the AIJS Trophy back in
1963 that a woman was elected by some of the most renowned Ski Experts
on the circuit as the « Athlete of the Winter ».

Among this very exclusive list of « Ski Greats »  one can find true skiing
legends starting with the Goitschel sisters in1964 and Canada’s Tiger
Nancy in 1968 and including Mikaela Shiffrin in 2017 and 2019. Of course
top champions such as Annemarie Moser-Proell Rosi Mittermaier, Lindsey
Vonn or Janica Kostelic also belong to this prestigious group.

Interestingly, Brignone is also the first member of the Italian « Squadra
Rosa » to be named « Skieur d’Or AIJS » in its history, a fully deserved
reward for the accomplished champion who is also an excellent
communicator with the international media thanks to her language skills,
she speaks excellent Italian, German, English and French.

With 16 World Cup wins and 44 podiums in four specialties in her career
to date, plus medals at Olympics and World Championships in 2018 and
2011, « Fede » is ranked among the most successful Italian athletes on the
Alpine circuit. Last winter she celebrated five wins and a total of
eleven podiums which allowed her to also clinch the globes in giant
slalom and the big Globe for the Overall.

Only 17 when she made her debut in December 2007 at the World Cup race
at Lienz, Brignone had to fight hard and overcome difficult moments
including a foot injury in 2012 before finally enjoying her maiden World
Cup win at Soelden in October 2015.

Supported by her brother Davide for several years, also a promising
racer prior suffering several injuries, Federica was inspired by the
successful career of her mom, Maria Rosa Quario, one of the best slalom
specialists on the World Cup tour in the early 1980s with her 4
victories and 15 podium finishes.

Quario is now a established and respected ski journalist on the « White
Circus » that she has been reporting on for a long time on behalf of
several Italian media.

« It surely is very special for me to see Federica being awarded that
AIJS Trophy which also wears the name of my dad, as I have known her
since she was a little girl , » said AIJS President Patrick Lang about
her award.

« It’s also pretty funny for me to be watching her doing so well, so many
years after having attended many races in which her mother has been so
successful. »

Because of the complicated sanitary situation that the World Cup tour
has been facing for over a year now, Federica could not receive her AIJS
Trophy at Soelden like many of the previous recipients during the FIS
Alpine Forum.

Hopefully she will have the chance to receive the beautiful AIJS Trophy
in crystal provided by Joska on behalf of FIS in a few months time at
the next Forum Alpinum together with the winner from the present season,
2020 /21.

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Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy February the 17^th – 2021

AIJS Photo Ski Contest Prix Armando Trovati – 3rd Edition

 Giovanni Auletta, an Italian photographer for Pentaphoto, is the winner of the third edition of the AIJS Photo Ski Contest Prix Armando Trovati for his photograph of Federica Brignone (ITA) at the Women’s Downhill in Bansko (BUL) on January 24 at the Audi FIS Ski World Cup 2019-2020.

11 photographs were also selected for the annual exhibition: Gabriele Facciotti (Pentaphoto/AP), Alexis Boichard (Zoom), Lisi Niesner (Reuters), Gianpaolo Piazzi, Leonhard Foeger (Reuters), Alain Grosclaude (Zoom), Christophe Pallot (Zoom), Sébastien Boué (L’Equipe), Christian Bruna (EPA-EFE) and Giovanni Pizzato.

Thank you to all photographers who entered the competition. We look forward to the fourth edition of the award next year.

#PAT #PATrovati #AndraTuttoBene #StayHome #BleibtZuHause #Cortina2021

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Solden, Austria October the 25^th – 2019

Fabrice COFFRINI a photographer for Agence France-Presse is the winner of the second edition of the AIJS Photo Ski Contest Prix Armando Trovati for his photograph of American Lindsey Vonn competing during the Women’s Downhill at the 2019 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships at the National Arena in Are, Sweden on February 10, 2019.

Fabrice Coffrini, born in 1967, in Switzerland has led the photo operations in Switzerland for Agence France-Presse since 2005. He has covered nine FIS Alpine World Ski Championships and nine Olympics (winter and summer), he also covered regularly the FIS Alpine Ski World Cup the last 25 years.

 

He set up a remote to do this photograph.

Data of the photograph:

Time: 12:33:51,
Model: NIKON D5
Lens (mm): 58
ISO: 640, Aperture: 2.8
Shutter: 1/8000, Exp. Comp.: +1.7
Flash Comp.: 0.0, Program: Manual
Focus Mode: MANUAL, White Bal.: AUTO0
ICC Profile: sRGB Profile, Quality: RAW

Fabrice Coffrini: “I pictured Lindsey Vonn, the greatest female alpine skiers of all time jumping during the last race of her career with the resort of Are (Sweden) as the landscape and a ray of light shining just on her.”

11 photographs were also selected for the annual exhibition:

Johann Groder (EXPA), Miguel Medina (AFP), Harald Steiner (GEPA), Christian Hartmann (Reuters), Alexis Boichard (Zoom), Leonhard Foeger (Reuters), Alain Grosclaude (Zoom), Jean Christophe Bott (Keystone), Gabriele-Facciotti (Pentaphoto/AP), Gianpaolo-Piazzi, GiovanniAuletta (Pentaphoto/AP).

 

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Skieur d’Or AIJS – Serge Lang Trophy » 2019 – Second AIJS award for Mikaela Shiffrin (USA)

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Discover the picture of the month – Foto del Mese – Bild Des Monats –  Découvrir la photo du mois

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Grazie, Thanks to @cortina2021 for the first @PATrovati photo exhibition during the @fisalpine Ladies Ski World Cup in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy. See you next year ! @cortinadolomiti #Mostra #Photocontest #Photojournalism #AIJS www.prixarmandotrovati.com

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Hans Bezard – Star Agency wins the ‘Prix Armando Trovati’ AIJS photo ski contest 2018

The first annual ‘Prix Armando Trovati’ AIJS photo ski contest was won by Austrian Photographer, Hans Bézard. His photograph shows Patrick Schweiger…(read more)

 

Come back to visit us and to discover the latest news about the Prix Armando Trovati – AIJS – Photo Ski Contest

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Association Internationale Journalistes de Ski – International Association of Ski Journalists – Internationale Vereinigung der Skijournalisten

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