Via Pope Pius IX, 5 - Linguaglossa / Catania
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The Regional College of Ski Instructors of Sicily promotes training, professional protection and the development of winter sports across the region.
For information, official requests or clarifications regarding the activity of the College of Ski Instructors of Sicily, you can contact the secretariat using the contact details listed below.
A CROSS-COUNTRY TRAIL INSIDE ETNA PARK
The Regional College of Ski Instructors of Sicily promotes training, professional protection and the development of winter sports across the region.
+39 095 16 96 83 52
+39 095 16 96 83 52
Via Pope Pius IX, 5 | 95015 Linguaglossa ( CT )
Via Pope Pius IX, 5 | 95015 Linguaglossa ( CT )
What it consists of
Ski all year in Etna Park
This is the futuristic project promoted by the Sicily Ski Instructors’ College, which in the coming months will lead to the construction of a real cross-country ski track “of the future”
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The material that will make all this become reality is called "Neveplast" (like the company that produces it) and it is a plastic designed specifically to let skis glide, giving sensations similar to those you feel when skiing on snow. The goal is clear: ski as much as possible, thus giving a boost to the growth of cross-country skiing in Sicily.
Promoting the project—which, in terms of size and added value for the area where it rises, represents a pioneering step—is the president of the Sicily Ski Instructors’ College, Sebastiano “Nuccio” Fontanarosa (also head of the Sicilian FISI Committee), on the front line in promoting this emerging sports hub dedicated to skiing. Reached by Fondo Italia, Fontanarosa explains the philosophy and development idea behind the project and outlines an action plan, estimating the implementation timeline.
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How did the project for a Neveplast cross-country track in Linguaglossa come about?
“This project was born from an idea of the Regional College of Ski Instructors of Sicily, which chose to invest to try to bring more people into the world of cross-country and alpine skiing, at a time when snow is scarce. It seemed like a good way to bring skiing closer to all those people who have drifted a bit away from this world, considering that for two years now we haven’t skied anymore in these areas. For this reason we wanted to create something that had meaning from a training point of view, but also for introducing skiing in schools. Anything that can help people fall in love with the mountains and cross-country skiing in particular”.
How will the track be structured?
“It will be a center dedicated to winter sports, whose management will be in the hands of ski instructors in collaboration with the Italian Winter Sports Federation. It will be a mini federal center that will represent something new in Italy: a 400-meter cross-country track and a 75-meter alpine ski slope with a conveyor belt. It’s not like skiing on snow, but it’s very similar: we have planned a 100-meter lane, which will allow – thanks to the 4.5-meter width of the track – practicing both the classic technique and the skating technique”.
What is the status of the works and when is the track expected to become operational?
“We have already started the works by buying the land and the building, which was old. We fixed up the land because it was a hazelnut grove and we leveled it. Now we are waiting for authorization to officially begin construction. We already have the estimates and we are ready to start; all that’s missing is authorization from the Civil Engineering Office, the Superintendency and the Etna Park. Before winter we think we will be able to activate at least the cross-country track. The plan is to open cross-country by December 2024 and then complete it with alpine skiing”.
Who will use the track?
“Everyone will be able to ski. School groups will be able to take advantage of it, instead of always favoring soccer. In this regard we will create training camps with schools so that instead of taking kids to play volleyball they can go skiing. Even at a media level it could be a flagship move, to pave the way for what will be the future development of this material”.
How is the project linked to the growth of the area, also in terms of opportunities for ski instructors?
“It will become a starting point for the tourist development of an area and for diversifying the work of ski instructors. With less and less snow, especially in the Apennines, it’s a way to expand instructors’ work, giving them the chance to operate even in months when usually you don’t ski. Many people here are cross-country skiers, but in recent years they haven’t been able to practice”.
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