La VolatA

One track, a thousand thrills

Opened in 2017 and made even more technical for the 2019 Junior World Championships, La VolatA is a black run designed to host high-speed competitions and training sessions at an international level, with a particular focus on women’s disciplines. Served by the Col Margherita cable car, the run starts from the peak of the same name, at 2,514 metres, and descends steeply to Passo San Pellegrino, at an altitude of 1,880 metres.

Key features:
• Total length: 2,300 metres
• Vertical drop: 630 metres (600 metres for the super-G)
• Average gradient: 28.4 per cent
• Maximum gradient: 47 per cent
• Start altitude: 2,514 metres (Col Margherita)
• Finish altitude: 1,880 metres (Passo San Pellegrino)
• Average race time: approximately 1 minute and 20 seconds

From the natural terrace of Col Margherita, offering a panoramic view of the Pale di San Martino, the descent begins with two technical slopes in sequence, named Alberto and Manfroi, followed by the Pian del Fabion. Through a passage in the woods, the course continues with a sharp left turn, leading into the famous Muri del Poeta, steep and challenging sections that demand precision and control. The route culminates with the dynamic and adrenaline-filled Dosso del Camoscio and the long final schuss, allowing skiers to reach high speeds before finishing near the Col Margherita cable car valley station.

Alberto Vendruscolo, entrepreneur and builder, has spent his life laying roads where they seemed impossible. His greatest dream was to complete a black slope connecting Col Margherita to Passo San Pellegrino. An ambitious project, considered by many to be unfeasible, but which his son Mauro, now president of the Col Margherita cable car, turned into reality. That runway, today known as ‘La VolatA’, bears the initials of Alberto Vendruscolo, a tribute to who wished for it without being able to see it completed. The idea, initially considered crazy, was to unite two regions – Veneto and Trentino – by overcoming seemingly insurmountable natural obstacles, such as the rock gaps in the final part of the track.

The first concrete step dates back to 1982, with the installation of the Col Margherita cable car, which connected the San Pellegrino Pass to the 2,514 metre high Col Margherita, paving the way for the future Ski Area San Pellegrino. It was only in 2011 that the ‘La VolatA’ project was formalised, but it was in 2017 that the dream became reality, shortly before hosting the Val di Fassa Junior World Championships. Today, La VolatA is a World Cup slope, a symbol of tenacity and vision, which continues to enchant skiers and fans from all over the world.

Suitable for speed competitions

La VolatA was designed with modern criteria to meet the highest FIS standards. Thanks to its technical layout and variety of terrain, La VolatA is ideal for downhill, super-G, and giant slalom races, establishing itself as a benchmark for the elite of international alpine skiing. In 2021, La VolatA joined the circuit of top-level courses through the efforts of the Val di Fassa Tourist Board and its “Piste Azzurre” project. From February 26 to 28, 2021, it hosted the Val di Fassa Ski World Cup, featuring three women’s alpine skiing speed events.

On February 24 and 25, 2024, La VolatA was scheduled to host the Val di Fassa Audi FIS Ski World Cup 2024 with two super-G races, but these were canceled due to heavy snowfall that weekend.

La VolatA has also served as the training ground for European events of speed queen Lindsey Vonn, a three-time Olympic medalist and the most decorated skier in history. Every year, La VolatA challenges the crème de la crème of Italian alpine skiing, including top athletes like Brignone, Bassino, Goggia, andPirovano, as well as competitors from national teams worldwide. Among the big names who have raced on this slope are Peter Fill and Christof Innerhofer.