Events
Winter Events:
The Big Snow Festival (14th -21st March – Arinsal)
If you are a snow fan, the Big Snow Festival in Arinsal is not to be missed. Take to the slopes during the day and party at night to the sound of popular DJs including Pendulum, DJ Hype, Judge Jules, Eddy Temple Morris and Anne Savage. On the slopes there will be a freestyle park of no less than 40,000 square metres.
VALLNORD -Trofeo Borrufa (26th to 29th January – Arcalís, Arinsal and Pal)
Trofeo Burrufa celebrates its 18th year and is one of the FIS World Cup alpine ski challenges for children between 11 and 14. The competition brings together the disciplines of Giant Slalom, Super Giant, Slalom and the Combi race which combines speed with technical aspects of Alpine skiing. In previous competitions, the Trofeo Burrufa has gathered up to 300 participants from more than 25 different countries.
World Rookie Festival (29th to 31st January – Arinsal)
The second leg of the World Rookie Tour continues in Arinsal and welcomes participants under 18 years old to showcase their snowboarding talent in the hope of becoming World Rookie Champion. Young Rookies will not only get to compete at the highest level but will also develop a range of skills with activities including avalanche and rescue clinics, and the chance to meet well known and respected international team managers.
El Dorado Freeride (19th to 21st February – Arcalís)
This season welcomes the 13th El Dorado championships which for the first time is part of the world FWT circuit of the Freeride World Qualifier. This competition welcomes current best professional and amateur riders and is one of Europe's most important contests in this discipline. This event has an exciting visible element drawing together raw talent mixed with the beauty of the surrounding landscapes.
WC Masters (26th to 28th February – Arcalís, Arinsal y Pal)
The WC Masters relates to the Veteran World Cup, an alpine ski competition bringing together skiers from many different countries. Vallnord will host this season's WC Masters with slalom tests, Giant Slalom and Super Giant events in the three sections of the resort
World Cup in Ski Mountaineering (5th March – Arcalís)
The traditional ski mountaineering competition this year returns to Arcalis, bringing together specialists in this area, all of whom are of optimal fitness. This year the event will form part of the World Championship Mountain Course.
Voodoo (6th to 14th March – Arinsal)
For the first time Arinsal will play host to Voodoo, the authentic week-long freestyle championships. The most important and well-known freestylers will gather in Arinsal to show off their talent.
III International Speed Riding Contest (Arcalis)
Scheduled for the beginning of spring 2010, Vallnord will host the III Speed Riding Contest bringing together the best international riders and giving a big promotional push to this relatively unknown discipline that combines skiing with paragliding.
GRANDVALIRA - Atomic Night Fever (23rd January – El Tarter)
A strictly night-time event, Atomic Night Fever is an invitation only 'freestyle' skiing and boarding competition. Taking place next to El Tarter Snowpark, the event attracts sponsors such Nike 6.0 and of course Atomic Skis. It is an open event where anyone can come to watch and soak up the electric atmosphere.
Pirena 2010 (23rd January to 6th February – El Tarter & Grau Roig)
Pirena is a 15-day dog sledding or 'mushing' race which takes riders across the powdery paradise of the Pyrenees, through Aragon, Catalonia, Andorra, France and Spain. More than 40 teams are taking part in 2010 for the 20th edition of the race; competition will be fierce as points are awarded towards the International Sled Dog Sports Federation (IFSS) World Cup and the European Sled Dog Racing Association Europe Cup. The Pirena philosophy is a simple one, to be a challenge that always respects the environment and wildlife whilst actively promoting the Pyrenees.
Burton Señoritas (6th February – El Tater)
Hailed as one of the most important amateur women's 'freestyle' events on the calendar, Burton Señoritas encourages ambitious freestyle snowboarders to push themselves to the limit to impress the judges and most likely, the scouts. While riders get to grips with the pristinely landscaped El Tarter Snowpark, spectators can get the perfect pitch point from the slope-side café.
Ski Mountaineering World Championship (1st – 6th March – Canillo)
Participants race individually or as a team through multiple checkpoints along a specified track, ascending usually to the top of a peak or just before, then all the way back down. The conditions are very tough, terrain can change dramatically from reasonably flat to drastically steep whilst the varying weather can snatch visibility from participants in the space of five minutes.
Total Fight Masters (25th – 28th March – El Tarter)
Likely to be the biggest event of the calendar, the Swatch Ticket to Ride (TTR) Total Fight Masters World Tour is to see over 120 professional 'freestyle' skiers and snowboarders compete on the specially redesigned El Tarter Snowpark for $25,000 in prize money and precious TTR tour points. The intense competition means a real show on the snow which never fails to draw impressive audience support for the international selection of athletes from Finland, Norway, Andorra, Austria, Germany, France and Russia. Live music is in abundance, performances from international headliners and surprise bands will be featured to keep festival goers on their feet well into the next day.
Snow Running Tournament (07 March *Provisional* – Soldeu)
A sport which is constantly gaining popularity, snow running combines the beauty of the snow-covered outdoors with the physical strenuosity of running with increased difficulty. The sensation of running on snow has been compared to that of running on sand, the semi-solid surface means more energy has to be exerted to move the same distance. The Snow Running tournament sees competitors from France, Italy, Switzerland and Andorra racing against each other on a 13.5km circuit in Soldeu. This event is also known as the European Snowshoe Cup.
In summer Andorra will play host to hundreds of cyclists as an official stop in the world famous Tour de France and will also play a part in the Mountain Biking World Cup, hosting one of the UCI downhill challenges.
