Gurgl World Cup 2026: Slalom on the steep Kirchenkar

Gurgl hosts its slalom weekend on Saturday, 21 November 2026, with the women, and on Sunday, 22 November, with the men: after Levi, the Slalom World Cup returns to the steep Kirchenkar slope in Hochgurgl. Start times, TV coverage and results are available on the Gurgl race venue page; here, we focus on the course and your visit to the rear Ötztal.

The calendar sets the order, while the organising committee publishes the times. There is no time difference to take into account here:

• Saturday, 21 November: women's slalom. First run at 10:30, second run at 13:30.
• Sunday, 22 November: men's slalom. First run at 10:30, second run at 13:30.

All times are local time and CET. Changes to the programme due to weather are possible. If you want to attend the evening before, the women's bib draw takes place on Friday and the men's on Saturday at Gurgl Carat. Both begin at 18:30; the organiser states that admission to the draws is free.

According to the organiser, the start is at 2,475 metres and the finish at 2,265 metres. That gives 210 vertical metres over a 548-metre course. On the steepest sections, the slope reaches a gradient of 62 per cent. These figures describe the race course, not the elevation of Obergurgl.

What does this mean for spectators? Watch the start of the turns. On steep terrain, a line started too late quickly becomes a correction that continues into the next gate.

The organisers explicitly describe the race preparation as icy. Holiday pistes have different conditions. You can therefore draw few conclusions from the race about how the surrounding runs will feel on your skiing day.

Among the women, Lara Colturi of Albania is high on the list: she finished second in Gurgl in 2025. The third-placed skier at the time, Switzerland's Camille Rast, also finished the winter second in the Slalom World Cup. Germany's Emma Aicher, who was sixth in that discipline ranking, is also among the candidates.

Last year's winner Mikaela Shiffrin remains the sporting benchmark, but her participation is not guaranteed. According to an ORF report dated 7 October, she plans to compete only in selected slaloms.

Among the men, France's Paco Rassat and Belgium's Armand Marchant have strong local credentials. They finished first and second at Kirchenkar in 2025. The third-placed skier at the time, Norway's Atle Lie McGrath, went on to win the 2025/26 Slalom World Cup. That gives him both a Gurgl podium and the discipline crystal globe.

This is a selection based on last season, as at 22 October. For the Austrian home team and the squads from Germany and Switzerland, the specific national team nominations will be decisive.

For the races, you can choose between a standing area and a standing grandstand; the organiser lists further ticket categories separately. As a pedestrian, you need a World Cup ticket. According to the ticket information, a season pass is not automatically an admission ticket for the race either.

The finish area is above the Top Mountain Crosspoint in Hochgurgl. Plan the final part of the journey separately. When checked, the organiser's travel page still contained shuttle timetables from the previous year; these cannot be used to determine a binding departure for November 2026. Check the updated directions and transfer information before your visit.

The evening events, by contrast, take place in Obergurgl. If you want to attend both, check the connection between the two places when choosing your accommodation. A room near the draw is not automatically close to the finish slope.

By train, travel from Germany or Austria to Ötztal-Bahnhof. The tourism association lists direct connections from Germany and Vienna; from the station, continue to Gurgl by local bus. Choose a connection that fits your arrival in the valley and the final onward service. By car, travel via the Inn Valley and then through the Ötztal.

If you are looking for the character of steep slopes and are confident on black runs, you can choose black piste 28 from Top Mountain Star when it is open. The organiser states a gradient of up to 45 per cent there. This is still less steep than the steepest section of the race course and is not an invitation to enter the closed World Cup slope.

If you have less experience, choose an easier open run. Which pistes you can link in November depends on the current lift and piste status. A race event does not guarantee that you can complete a full circuit of the area.

For your location, consider whether you would prefer to stay closer to the evening programme in the village or to the access points on the Hochgurgl side.