Another major edition brought the halls of Modena Fiere to life from October 31 to November 3. We are talking about Skipass 2013, the winter tourism and sports trade fair, which blew out 20 candles this autumn 2013, celebrating its twentieth appointment with the world of snow.
For us at MondoNeve, it was our first year attending Skipass as exhibitors—though certainly not our first as visitors—and we were able to experience 4 full days of all the meetings and side events tied to Nissan Skipass.
Thursday, October 31 was not only opening day with the customary presence of local authorities, but also FISI Day, as the federation presented all the news for the upcoming winter season in Modena’s large exhibition space. Roaming among the booths of Hall A were athletes of the caliber of Nadia Fanchini, Christof Innerhofer, Dominik Paris, Massimiliano Blardone, and many other stars of the Italian national ski team.
Friday was AMSI Day, featuring its 50th anniversary celebration and a public tribute to past presidents for building, through hard work and dedication, the national association that today brings together 12,000 ski instructors from the Brenner Pass to Mount Etna—a benchmark for anyone entering the world of skiing.
Saturday and Sunday saw a massive turnout of visitors: plenty of ski and snowboard enthusiasts as well as many people curious to discover what’s new for the winter season and try out sports like cross-country skiing firsthand in the outdoor area equipped with real snow.
The outdoor area once again proved to be a central hub for the entire event, drawing crowds to the snow area with features such as the ski slope—where beginners could take their first steps on snow under the guidance of ski instructors—the freestyle area, where riders from all over Italy and beyond battled it out with tricks, and the outdoor area open for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing excursions.
Having real snow in an urban setting with temperatures well above freezing makes Nissan Skipass an even more fascinating and original event; being able to touch the white stuff months before its natural arrival is something that amazes everyone even after so many editions.
While visitors were having fun outside getting hands-on with winter sports, inside the halls of Modena Fiere—and particularly in the Media area—meetings on snow sports and tourism followed one after another, from previews of new winter gear to presentations of major events scheduled for the upcoming winter.
Not just alpine skiing and snowboarding, but also lesser-known disciplines such as speed skiing—vividly recounted firsthand by record holder Origone, who holds the world speed skiing record—as well as niche yet equally captivating sports like Sleddog, well represented by the Antartica association, which for years has promoted this one-of-a-kind activity where Nordic dogs and mushers brave the rigors of winter just as they once did across the expanses of Alaska.
With the presence of leading industry operators, world-class athletes, and a wide array of organizations tied to the world of snow, after 20 editions Nissan Skipass indisputably remains the benchmark event for winter tourism and sports!
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