# Vitranc Cup

Vitranc Cup (Slovenian: Pokal Vitranc) is an annual FIS Alpine Ski World Cup competition, held since 1961 in Kranjska Gora, Upper Carniola, Slovenia.
For Giant slalom, Kranjska Gora is considered one of the three most prestigious and challenging locations in the world, along with Adelboden and Alta Badia.
This competition is the successor of the "Bukovniški smuk" (Bukovnik Downhill), "kamikaze dowhnill" race first held in Kranjska Gora in 1949.

## History
### 1961: First edition

On 4 March 1961, the first ever Vitranc Cup event was held on an extremely demanding and steep giant slalom course from the top of the Vitranc mountain. The event was also known as "hara-kiri with acceleration".

### 1962: Event not scheduled at all

In 1962, for the only time in history, the competition did not meet the schedule at all, because the Yugoslavian Ski Federation office in Belgrade simply forgot to send the application to the International Ski Federation (FIS).

### 1968: World Cup debut

On 10 March 1968, the Vitranc Cup (Kranjska Gora) hosted the first ever World Cup alpine ski event in Slovenia (also Yugoslavia at the same time). The Slalom was won by the French skier Patrick Russel.

### 1982: Record attendance

On 20 March 1982, Bojan Križaj was the first Slovenian to win the World Cup at the home ground in front of a record crowd of 32,000 people. This record hasn't been broken yet at alpine skiing events in Slovenia, and it beat the record set at Ingemar Stenmark's event.

### 1983: New permanent course opened

On 29–30 January 1983, the Vitranc Cup competition was, for the last time, held on an old steep course above the old gas station, before moving to a new and now permanent course in nearby Podkoren, still in use today.
On 1–2 December 1983, the competition was, for the first time, held and permanently moved to the new "Podkoren 3" course nearby, constructed and designed by ex Slovenian skier Peter Lakota. The women's competition was held first, the next day was the men's race. It was the first and only time in history when Slovenia hosted the World Cup opening race for both men and women. This was also the first and only time when women competed for the Vitranc Cup.

### 1985: Petrovič won in front of a home crowd

On 21 December 1985, Rok Petrovič celebrated the 2nd of his five World Cup career wins in his career, dominating the season, in front of a home crowd of 30,000 people.

### 1986: Double Slovenian win

On 20 December 1986, then Slovenian sports icons Bojan Križaj and Petrovič achieved a double Slovenian win, beating 3rd placed Ingemar Stenmark.

## Vitranc Cup Top 3 results
### Men

| Edition | Season | Date | Event | Winner | Second | Third |
| ↓ FIS 1A International ↓ |||||||
| 1st | 1960/61 | 4 March 1961 | GS | Josef Stiegler | Joseph Behr | Helmut Gartner |
| 1st | 1960/61 | 5 March 1961 | SL | Ernst Falch | Josef Stiegler | Helmut Schranz |
| 2nd | 1962/63 | 2 March 1963 | GS | Georges Mauduit | Robert Grunenfelder | Jean-Claude Killy |
| 2nd | 1962/63 | 3 March 1963 | SL | Josef Stiegler | Jean-Claude Killy | Hias Leitner |
| 3rd | 1963/64 | 29 February 1964 | GS | Jean-Claude Killy | Willy Favre | Beat von Allmen |
| 3rd | 1963/64 | 1 March 1964 | SL | Michel Arpin | Franz Digruber | Ernst Scherzer |
| 4th | 1964/65 | 27 February 1965 | GS | Edmund Bruggmann | Felice De Nicolo | Michel Arpin |
| 4th | 1964/65 | 28 February 1965 | SL | Michel Arpin | Franz Digruber | E. Maudit |
| 5th | 1965/66 | 19 February 1966 | GS | Werner Bleiner | Guy Périllat | Karl Schranz |
| 5th | 1965/66 | 20 February 1966 | SL | Guy Périllat | Karl Schranz | Ludwig Leitner |
| 6th | 1966/67 | 11 March 1967 | GS | Eberhard Riedel | Ernst Scherzer | Harald Stüfer |
| 6th | 1966/67 | 12 March 1967 | SL | Alain Blanchard | Andrzej Bachleda | Patrick Russel |
| ↓ FIS International ↓ |||||||
| 7th$^{(1)}$ | 1967/68 | 9 March 1968 | GS | Stefan Kälin | Stefan Sodat | Enrico Demetz |
| ↓ FIS World Cup ↓ |||||||
| 7th$^{(2)}$ | 1967/68 | 10 March 1968 | SL | Patrick Russel | Franz Digruber | Stefan Kälin |
| 8th | 1968/69 | 16 February 1969 | GS | Reinhard Tritscher | Alfred Matt | Franz Digruber |
| 8th | 1968/69 | 17 February 1969 | SL | Edmund Bruggmann | Alain Penz | Herbert Huber |
| 9th$^{(1)}$ | 1969/70 | 21 January 1970 | GS | Dumeng Giovanoli | Patrick Russel | Georges Mauduit |
| ↓ FIS International ↓ |||||||
| 9th$^{(2)}$ | 1969/70 | 22 January 1970 | SL | Peter Frei | Hans Bjorge | Dumeng Giovanoli |
| 10th | 1970/71 | 20 February 1971 | GS | Sergio Filippo | N. P. Pouteil | Jean Louis Ambroise |
| 10th | 1970/71 | 21 February 1971 | SL | Gérard Bonnevie | N. P. Pouteil | Hubert Berchtold |
| ↓ FIS Europa Cup ↓ |||||||
| 11th | 1971/72 | 4 January 1972 | GS | Werner Mattle | Alain Penz | Sepp Heckelmiller |
| 11th | 1971/72 | 5 January 1972 | SL | Andrzej Bachleda | Alain Penz | Rick Chaffee |
| 12th | 1972/73 | 6 January 1973 | GS | Gustav Thöni | Helmuth Schmalzl | Hansi Hinterseer |
| 12th | 1972/73 | 7 January 1973 | SL | Claude Perrot | Gustav Thöni | Alfred Matt |
| 13th | 1973/74 | 10 January 1974 | GS | cancelled due to lack of snow | cancelled due to lack of snow | cancelled due to lack of snow |
| 13th | 1973/74 | 11 January 1974 | SL | cancelled due to lack of snow | cancelled due to lack of snow | cancelled due to lack of snow |
| ↓ FIS World Cup ↓ |||||||
| ↓ see ↓ | 1974/75 | 20 December 1974 | GS | lack of snow; rescheduled to 13–14 April 1975 (see 14th edition) | lack of snow; rescheduled to 13–14 April 1975 (see 14th edition) | lack of snow; rescheduled to 13–14 April 1975 (see 14th edition) |
| ↓ FIS International ↓ |||||||
| 14th | 1974/75 | 13 April 1975 | GS | F. Fernández Ochoa | Manfred Brunner | Herbert Plank |
| 14th | 1974/75 | 14 April 1975 | SL | F. Fernández Ochoa | Mauro Bernardi | Johann Kniewasser |
| ↓ FIS Europa Cup ↓ |||||||
| 15th | 1975/76 | 11 January 1976 | SL | Andreas Arnold | Bartl Gensbichler | Jorge García |
| ↓ FIS World Cup ↓ |||||||
| 16th | 1976/77 | 21 December 1976 | SL | high temperatures; replaced at Laax (3 January 1977) | high temperatures; replaced at Laax (3 January 1977) | high temperatures; replaced at Laax (3 January 1977) |
| ↓ FIS International ↓ |||||||
| 17th | 1977/78 | 21 December 1977 | GS | Mauro Bernardi | Hans Enn | Bojan Križaj |
| 17th | 1977/78 | 22 December 1977 | SL | Anton Steiner | Mauro Bernardi | Manfred Brunner |
| ↓ FIS World Cup ↓ |||||||
| 18th | 1978/79 | 21 December 1978 | SL | Ingemar Stenmark | Paul Frommelt | Leonardo David |
| 18th | 1978/79 | 22 December 1978 | GS | Ingemar Stenmark | Peter Lüscher | Bojan Križaj |
| ↓ FIS International ↓ |||||||
| 19th | 1979/80 | 14 December 1979 | GS | Bojan Križaj | Bruno Nockler | Boris Strel |
| 19th | 1979/80 | 15 December 1979 | SL | Bojan Križaj | Piero Gros | Bruno Nockler |
| ↓ FIS World Cup ↓ |||||||
| 20th | 1980/81 | 28 March 1981 | GS | lack of snow and high temperatures; replaced the same day at Laax | lack of snow and high temperatures; replaced the same day at Laax | lack of snow and high temperatures; replaced the same day at Laax |
| 21st | 1981/82 | 19 March 1982 | GS | Phil Mahre | Hans Enn | Marc Girardelli |
| 21st | 1981/82 | 20 March 1982 | SL | Bojan Križaj | Ingemar Stenmark | Franz Gruber |
| 22nd | 1982/83 | 29 January 1983 | GS | Hans Enn | Max Julen | Ingemar Stenmark |
| 22nd | 1982/83 | 30 January 1983 | SL | Franz Gruber | Stig Strand | Michel Canac |
| 23rd | 1983/84 | 2 December 1983 | SL | Andreas Wenzel | Petar Popangelov | Paul Frommelt |
| 24th | 1984/85 | 15 February 1985 | GS | Thomas Bürgler | Pirmin Zurbriggen | Marc Girardelli |
| 24th | 1984/85 | 16 February 1985 | SL | Marc Girardelli | Ingemar Stenmark | Paul Frommelt Jonas Nilsson |
| 25th | 1985/86 | 20 December 1985 | GS | Joël Gaspoz | Roberto Erlacher | Hubert Strolz |
| 25th | 1985/86 | 21 December 1985 | SL | Rok Petrovič | Jonas Nilsson | Thomas Stangassinger |
| 26th | 1986/87 | 19 December 1986 | GS | Joël Gaspoz | Roberto Erlacher | Richard Pramotton |
| 26th | 1986/87 | 20 December 1986 | SL | Bojan Križaj | Rok Petrović | Ingemar Stenmark |
| 27th | 1987/88 | 19 December 1987 | GS | Helmut Mayer | Pirmin Zurbriggen | Hubert Strolz |
| 27th | 1987/88 | 20 December 1987 | SL | Alberto Tomba | Richard Pramotton | Günther Mader |
| 28th | 1988/89 | 17 December 1988 | SL | Marc Girardelli | Armin Bittner | Alberto Tomba |
| 29th | 1989/90 | 6 January 1990 | GS | cancelled and later replaced at La Villa (14 January) | cancelled and later replaced at La Villa (14 January) | cancelled and later replaced at La Villa (14 January) |
| 29th | 1989/90 | 7 January 1990 | SL | Armin Bittner | Bernhard Gstrein | Paul Accola |
| 30th | 1990/91 | 21 December 1990 | GS | Alberto Tomba | Urs Kälin | Marc Girardelli |
| 30th | 1990/91 | 22 December 1990 | SL | Ole Kristian Furuseth | Thomas Fogdö | Thomas Stangassinger |
| 31st | 1991/92 | 4 January 1992 | GS | Sergio Bergamelli | Hans Pieren | Alberto Tomba |
| 31st | 1991/92 | 5 January 1992 | SL | Alberto Tomba | Armin Bittner | Finn Christian Jagge |
| 32nd | 1992/93 | 19 December 1992 | SL | Thomas Fogdö | Alberto Tomba | Peter Roth |
| 32nd | 1992/93 | 20 December 1992 | GS | Marc Girardelli | Lasse Kjus | Fredrik Nyberg |
| 33rd | 1993/94 | 8 January 1994 | GS | Fredrik Nyberg | Matteo Belfrond | Tobias Barnerssoi |
| 33rd | 1993/94 | 9 January 1994 | SL | Finn Christian Jagge | Ole Kristian Furuseth | Thomas Fogdö |
| 34th | 1994/95 | 6 January 1995 | GS | Alberto Tomba | Mitja Kunc Harald Strand Nilsen | |
| 35th | 1995/96 | 21 December 1995 | GS | Lasse Kjus | Michael von Grünigen | Mario Reiter |
| 35th | 1995/96 | 22 December 1995 | SL | Alberto Tomba | Jure Košir | Sébastien Amiez |
| 36th | 1996/97 | 5 January 1997 | GS | Michael von Grünigen | Siegfried Voglreiter | Kjetil André Aamodt |
| 36th | 1996/97 | 6 January 1997 | SL | Thomas Sykora | Sébastien Amiez | Thomas Stangassinger |
| 37th | 1997/98 | 3 January 1998 | GS | Christian Mayer | Hermann Maier | Michael von Grünigen |
| 37th | 1997/98 | 4 January 1998 | SL | Thomas Sykora | Pierrick Bourgeat | Thomas Stangassinger |
| 38th | 1998/99 | 5 January 1999 | GS | Patrick Holzer | Christian Mayer | Hans Knauß |
| 38th | 1998/99 | 6 January 1999 | SL | Jure Košir | Thomas Stangassinger | Benjamin Raich |
| 39th | 1999/00 | 21 December 1999 | SL | Didier Plaschy | Benjamin Raich | Thomas Stangassinger |
| 40th | 2000/01 | 20 December 2000 | GS | lack of snow; replaced in Bormio (21 December) | lack of snow; replaced in Bormio (21 December) | lack of snow; replaced in Bormio (21 December) |
| 40th | 2000/01 | 21 December 2000 | SL | lack of snow; replaced in Madonna di Campiglio (19 December) | lack of snow; replaced in Madonna di Campiglio (19 December) | lack of snow; replaced in Madonna di Campiglio (19 December) |
| 41st | 2001/02 | 21 December 2001 | GS | Benjamin Raich | Bode Miller | Didier Cuche |
| 41st | 2001/02 | 22 December 2001 | SL | Jean-Pierre Vidal | Mario Matt | Ivica Kostelić |
| 42nd | 2002/03 | 4 January 2003 | GS | Bode Miller | Christian Mayer | Sami Uotila |
| 42nd | 2002/03 | 5 January 2003 | SL | Ivica Kostelić | Rainer Schönfelder | Jean-Pierre Vidal |
| 43rd | 2003/04 | 28 February 2004 | GS | Bode Miller | Alberto Schieppati | Alexander Ploner |
| 43rd | 2003/04 | 29 February 2004 | SL | Truls Ove Karlsen | Tom Stiansen | Mario Matt |
| 44th | 2004/05 | 26 February 2005 | GS | Benjamin Raich | Hermann Maier | Kalle Palander |
| 44th | 2004/05 | 27 February 2005 | SL | Giorgio Rocca | André Myhrer | Benjamin Raich |
| 45th | 2005/06 | 21 December 2005 | GS | Benjamin Raich | Massimiliano Blardone | Thomas Grandi |
| 45th | 2005/06 | 22 December 2005 | SL | Giorgio Rocca | Thomas Grandi | Ted Ligety |
| 46th | 2006/07 | 3 March 2007 | GS | Benjamin Raich | François Bourque | Massimiliano Blardone |
| 46th | 2006/07 | 4 March 2007 | SL | Mario Matt | Benjamin Raich | Manfred Mölgg |
| 47th | 2007/08 | 8 March 2008 | GS | Ted Ligety | Manfred Mölgg | Massimiliano Blardone |
| 47th | 2007/08 | 9 March 2008 | SL | Manfred Mölgg | Ivica Kostelić | Marcel Hirscher |
| 48th | 2008/09 | 28 February 2009 | GS | Ted Ligety | Didier Cuche | Massimiliano Blardone |
| 48th | 2008/09 | 1 March 2009 | SL | Julien Lizeroux | Giuliano Razzoli | Felix Neureuther |
| 49th | 2009/10 | 30 January 2010 | GS | Marcel Hirscher | Kjetil Jansrud | Ted Ligety |
| 49th | 2009/10 | 31 January 2010 | SL | Reinfried Herbst | Marcel Hirscher | Julien Lizeroux |
| 50th | 2010/11 | 5 March 2011 | GS | Beat Feuz | Erik Guay | Michael Walchhofer |
| 50th | 2010/11 | 6 March 2011 | SL | Mario Matt | Nolan Kasper Axel Bäck | |
| 51st | 2011/12 | 10 March 2012 | GS | Ted Ligety | Alexis Pinturault | Marcel Hirscher |
| 51st | 2011/12 | 11 March 2012 | SL | André Myhrer | Cristian Deville | Alexis Pinturault |
| 52nd | 2012/13 | 9 March 2013 | GS | Ted Ligety | Marcel Hirscher | Alexis Pinturault |
| 52nd | 2012/13 | 10 March 2013 | SL | Ivica Kostelić | Marcel Hirscher | Mario Matt |
| 53rd | 2013/14 | 8 March 2014 | GS | Ted Ligety | Benjamin Raich | Henrik Kristoffersen |
| 53rd | 2013/14 | 9 March 2014 | SL | Felix Neureuther | Fritz Dopfer | Henrik Kristoffersen |
| 54th | 2014/15 | 14 March 2015 | GS | Alexis Pinturault | Marcel Hirscher | Thomas Fanara |
| 54th | 2014/15 | 15 March 2015 | SL | Henrik Kristoffersen | Giuliano Razzoli | Mattias Hargin |
| 55th | 2015/16 | 5 March 2016 | GS | Marcel Hirscher | Alexis Pinturault | Henrik Kristoffersen |
| 55th | 2015/16 | 6 March 2016 | SL | Marcel Hirscher | Henrik Kristoffersen | Stefano Gross |
| 56th | 2016/17 | 4 March 2017 | GS | Marcel Hirscher | Leif Kristian Haugen | Matts Olsson |
| 56th | 2016/17 | 5 March 2017 | SL | Michael Matt | Stefano Gross | Felix Neureuther |
| 57th | 2017/18 | 3 March 2018 | GS | Marcel Hirscher | Henrik Kristoffersen | Alexis Pinturault |
| 57th | 2017/18 | 4 March 2018 | SL | Marcel Hirscher | Henrik Kristoffersen | Ramon Zenhäusern |
| 58th | 2018/19 | 9 March 2019 | GS | Henrik Kristoffersen | Rasmus Windingstad | Marco Odermatt |
| 58th | 2018/19 | 10 March 2019 | SL | Ramon Zenhäusern | Henrik Kristoffersen | Marcel Hirscher |
| 59th | 2019/20 | 14 March 2020 | GS | cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic | cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic | cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic |
| 59th | 2019/20 | 15 March 2020 | SL | cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic | cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic | cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic |
| 60th | 2020/21 | 13 March 2021 | GS | Marco Odermatt | Loïc Meillard | Stefan Brennsteiner |
| 60th | 2020/21 | 14 March 2021 | SL | Clément Noël | Victor Muffat-Jeandet | Ramon Zenhäusern |
| 61st | 2021/22 | 12 March 2022 | GS | Henrik Kristoffersen | Lucas Braathen Marco Odermatt | |
| 61st | 2021/22 | 13 March 2022 | GS | Henrik Kristoffersen | Stefan Brennsteiner | Marco Odermatt |
| 62nd | 2022/23 | 11 March 2023 | GS | Marco Odermatt | Alexis Pinturault | Henrik Kristoffersen |
| 62nd | 2022/23 | 12 March 2023 | GS | Marco Odermatt | Henrik Kristoffersen | Alexis Pinturault |
| 63rd | 2023/24 | 9 March 2024 | GS | cancelled due to rain and warm temperatures | cancelled due to rain and warm temperatures | cancelled due to rain and warm temperatures |
| 63rd | 2023/24 | 10 March 2024 | SL | cancelled due to rain and warm temperatures | cancelled due to rain and warm temperatures | cancelled due to rain and warm temperatures |
| 64th | 2024/25 | 1 March 2025 | GS | | | |
| 64th | 2024/25 | 2 March 2025 | SL | | | |

### Women

At the start of the season, women for the first and only time in the history of this competition, raced for the "Vitranc Cup".
| Edition | Season | Date | Event | Winner | Second | Third |
| ↓ FIS World Cup ↓ |||||||
| 1st | 1983/84 | 1 December 1983 | SL | Erika Hess | Tamara McKinney | Małgorzata Tlałka |

## Substitute events

Kranjska Gora replaced 6 cancelled men's events from other countries, which aren't considered Vitranc Cup events:
* 4 Mar 2016 – Henrik Kristoffersen won the Friday additional giant slalom. Venue replaced: Garmisch-Partenkirchen (GER).
* 29 Jan 2010 – Ted Ligety won the Friday additional giant slalom. Venue replaced: Adelboden (SUI).
* 20 Dec 2001 – Fredrik Nyberg won the Friday additional giant slalom. Venue replaced: Aspen (USA).
* 8 Mar 2000 – Christian Mayer won the extra giant slalom. Venue replaced: Adelboden (SUI).
* 6 Jan 1990 – Jonas Nilsson won the Saturday additional slalom. Venue replaced: Madonna di Campiglio (ITA).
* 3 Jan 1986 – Joël Gaspoz won the extra giant slalom. Venue replaced: Borovets (BUL).

## Multiple winners

With at least two wins or more.
| Total | Skier | SL | GS |
| 6 | Marcel Hirscher | 2 | 4 |
| 5 | Ted Ligety | 0 | 5 |
| 5 | Alberto Tomba | 3 | 2 |
| 4 | Benjamin Raich | 4 | 0 |
| 4 | Henrik Kristoffersen | 1 | 3 |
| 4 | Bojan Križaj | 3 | 1 |
| 3 | Marc Girardelli | 2 | 1 |
| 2 | Josef Stiegler | 1 | 1 |
| 2 | Michel Arpin | 2 | 0 |
| 2 | Francisco Fernández Ochoa | 1 | 1 |
| 2 | Ingemar Stenmark | 1 | 1 |
| 2 | Thomas Sykora | 2 | 0 |
| 2 | Bode Miller | 0 | 2 |
| 2 | Giorgio Rocca | 2 | 0 |
| 2 | Mario Matt | 2 | 0 |
| 2 | Ivica Kostelić | 2 | 0 |
| 2 | Joël Gaspoz | 0 | 2 |

## Club5+

In 1986, the elite Club5 was originally established by 5 prestigious and classic downhill organizers: Kitzbühel, Wengen, Garmisch, Val d’Isère and Val Gardena/Gröden, with the goal to bring alpine ski sports to the highest levels possible.
Later, over the years, other classic long-term organizers joined the now renamed Club5+: Alta Badia, Cortina, Kranjska Gora, Maribor, Lake Louise, Schladming, Adelboden, Kvitfjell, St.Moritz and Åre.