Course:
The course is located in a ski resort on the mountain Pohorje in the suburbs of Maribor, Slovenia's second largest city with a population of 150,000. The same venue is used for the classic women's Alpine Ski World Cup slalom and giant slalom events. The finish area is only 6km (10 minute drive) from downtown Maribor.
Downhill (2001):
Following the trend, the 2001 course will be shorter. The start will be at the elevation of 785 m above sea level (old start 895 m) at the "Blueberry Hill" , the mountain hut restaurant the riders were passing at the end of the dirt road under the "Fliper" * jump and the tabletop jump. The new start offers the comfort of a restaurant and a large terrace to the riders and spectators. Drinks, snacks, blueberry schnaps, tables, toilets, level terrain for warm-up and so on.
The course now starts by carving the ski slope and soon hits a jump, very similar to the now legendary "Fliper" jump that we lost by cutting the top part. After a spacious landing and after killing the speed in a right turn, the course enters the first forest section some 50m lower than last year. There are some minor changes possible lower down on the course. The length of the course is now 2090m, the elevation difference 455 m and the time will be getting close to 3 minutes. The 20 minute chairlift ride will remain the main rider and bike transport to the start which will be now 400m below the top station of the second chairlift.
* Fliper - Everybody thinks this is named after Flipper the dolphin. It isn't, Fliper is actually a pinball machine in Maribor.
Maribor Course Statistics:
- 100% descending
- 50% wide track
- 50% narrow track
- 70% fast downhill
Where is the course? - Near Hotel Habakuk
The finish area is in the Snow Stadium which features Hotel Arena, a chairlift and a parking lot. Some 200m from the Snow Stadium is a city bus line, a gondola to the top of the mountain, more parking lots and Hotel Habakuk, a new high class hotel. The mountain is a favourite recreational and sports facility for the people in the region.
Maribor on Wikipedia: Link
