World-class athletes on the banks of the Düsseldorf Rhine broadcast on ZDF
After the opening races in Beitostoelen (NOR) and Kuusamo (FIN), the FIS Ski Cross-Country World Cup moves on to Düsseldorf. The World Cup races start on Saturday at 10.45 (official training from 10.00am) with the ladies and men’s prologue. After the qualification rounds, the long awaited exciting ladies and men’s quarterfinals take place at 12.45. ZDF will be broadcasting live pictures of the Düsseldorf World Cup on large-screen monitors along the course allowing for non-stop optimal coverage of the event.
The most, snow guaranteed Christmas Market adds that special charm to the World Cup races on the banks of the Düsseldorf Rhine. The Christmas Market, as well as the stage and family program, really bring that Christmas feeling to the event. A visit to the World Cup weekend is fun for the whole family, not only from the sporting aspect, but the allrounder stage program with DJ Charly on all three days of the event, makes for that special skiing holiday feeling, right here on the banks of the Rhine.

„NikoLauf“ - Charity ski cross-country event for everyone
During the course of the World Cup weekend, an extra special charity race takes place directly after the finals on Saturday. Amateur skiers, dressed as Santa Claus, race along the original World Cup course. All proceeds from this event are donated to the Bild newspaper, project „Ein Herz für Kinder“. The “Santa racers” can then watch the races from special spectator seats directly at the start and finish area. The precondition for taking part in this special public event is being able to master cross-country skiing, as a real challenge lies in wait for the amateur racers at the ARAG-Mountain. The organisers supply the Santa outfits. Registration is to be sent by Fax to 02131-1244350 or by mail to haas@allrounder.de by the 27 November at the latest. The person responsible for this event is Ole Haas, Tel. 02131-1244-314.

The opening celebration and family festival with lots of snow
On Friday 4 December, DJ Charly of the JEVER SKI HALL in Neuss will open the World Cup weekend event on the Burgplatz stage. While the specialists from allrounder deliver snow from the “Neuss glacier” to the Rhine promenade and prepare the course, the live entertainment program starts on the allrounder stage.  This year for the first time, an opening salute, as well as the Stadt-Tambourkorps St. Maximilian, the Regiment band, Bendels and the Regiments-Fanfare corps, Swinging-Fanfares Düsseldorf, are all part of the opening ceremony. The family program on Burgplatz starts on Saturday at 10.00. In the Swiss Village (Schweiz Dorf), directly alongside Burgplatz, children can, under the knowledgeable supervision of Swiss skiing instructors, have their first skiing lesson on the slopes. Across the way from the Swiss Village, both children and adults can have toboggan fun at the ARAG Toboggan run.

World Cup Party at the Castle Quarter Bohème (Schlösser Quartier Bohème)
After the snow events around the cross-country races on the Rhine promenade, the World Cup Party takes place at the Castle Quarter Bohème (Schlösser Quartier Bohème) in Dusseldorf’s old city on Saturday at 20.30. The live performance of „Just for fun“ on stage brings the party feeling to the Rhine. Tickets for the World Cup Party are available in advance at the Schlösser Quartier Bohème, the JEVER Ski Hall in Neuss and at the allrounder Info tent for the 12 Euro. Tickets can also be bought on the evening of the party at the door for 15 Euro.

The starting field in Düsseldorf
The best of the best are taking part at the Rhine. Amongst these are stars from countries such as Norway, Sweden and Russia. The two-time Norwegian champion, Tor Arne Hetland, won´t be wearing Norwegian colours this year, instead will be appearing as trainer for the German sprint team. The greatest hope this year from the German team for a place on the podium will surely go to the 2007 winner Josef Wenzl or his teammate, Jens Filbrich. Likewise special attention must be paid to Claudia Nystad for the great short distance performance she always gives. The silver medallion Olympic winner of the sprint in Turin in 2006, and her teammate Stefanie Böhler achieved third place in the Team competition last year. Evi Sachenbacher-Stehle hasn´t celebrated her greatest achievement in Düsseldorf yet, but is certainly one of the spectator favourites for the sprint at the Rhine each year. The FIS Ski Cross-Country World Cup in Düsseldorf is of particular importance to the Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver Canada, as each point gained here counts towards qualification for the Olympics in February.  

Where did the idea of having a World Cup Ski Cross Country on the Rhine come from?
The idea for the Ski Cross-Country World Cup on the banks of the Düsseldorf Rhine was conceived eight years ago. The managing directors of the ski hall in Neuss, August Pollen and Johannes Janz, together with the coach of the national team, Jochen Behle, came up with a bold plan of bringing the FIS Ski Cross-Country World Cup to Düsseldorf in 2001. The FIS were instantaneously sold on the idea and have since then given complete support and backing in carrying out this event to the organizers, allrounder (Ski Hall Neuss) together with their partners, the sportAgentur Düsseldorf and the West German Ski Association e.V. Since then ski cross-country competitions in major cities are no longer an unusual event. Many organizers have benefitted from the experience gained since the first race in Düsseldorf in 2002. The FIS has suggested to organizers from places such as Drammen/NOR, Stockholm/SWE und Prague/CZE to view the World Cup in Düsseldorf and to learn from OC boss, August Pollen. This year already organisers from, amongst others, the Stockholm City-Sprints have registered to gather information from this year’s event. The FIS Ski Cross-Country World Cup takes place for the eighth time in the capital of North Rhine-Westphalia and has been brought right to the centre of the World Cup winter with the new date in December. The International Ski Federation, FIS has now given the Düsseldorf organizers confirmation up until 2012.

The banks of the Rhine in Düsseldorf will be white
On Thursday (03.12) the transformation of the banks of the Düsseldorf Rhine into a snowy setting takes place. Five trucks transport the “white gold” from the Jever Ski Hall to the Rhine promenade. From the delivered snow, the slope technicians from the ski hall begin to give the 830-metre long World Cup track shape. In the ski hall, under the 14 metre high roof, 12 snow canons continually produce the snow to be used for the world cup. Daily the blanket of snow in the hall grows by a few centimetres. The snow is produced solely from water and ice cold air- without using any chemical additives. The fine structure of the snow, its coldness (up to -14° Celsius) and the many years of experience of the organizers, allrounder, guarantees optimal snow conditions. Thanks to the patented cooling and snow machine, the snow quality from the “Neuss glacier” remains constantly high. Many professionals from racing teams as well as European teams appreciate this technology and are seen as regular guests at the ski hall in Neuss for training and trying out of new equipment.

The shortest route to the FIS Ski Cross-Country World Cup
The most important ecological aspect of large events is usually the traffic caused by the event and which likewise consumes the largest portion of energy surrounding the overall event, "often over 90 %". Here Düsseldorf, with its excellent traffic infrastructure and outstanding public transport, is perfect for the event. Approximately half of the visitors in previous years have used public transport to the event and this amount may well increase again this year. Also the distances traveled are comparatively short: A study done at the Advanced Technical College in Düsseldorf show that approximately two thirds of the visitors to the World Cup in 2007, come from Düsseldorf and the surrounding region. The energy consumption for the entire meeting lies within the typical range of any large event. In Düsseldorf the snow, thank its fine structure and the correct know-how, does not need to be cooled. No chemicals or any other such additives are used. The organizers use new trucks for transporting the snow; with the most modern of exhaust fume values. The distance from Neuss to Düsseldorf is also very short: only 16 kilometers.
The city of Düsseldorf has profited for years by the large international media coverage and the hereby-portrayed positive image gained. The local and regional economy has also profited directly from the event and the FIS Ski Cross Country World Cup is an optimal advertisement for one of the healthiest and most attractive kinds of sport. Last but not least, the positive social aspects of the event should not be ignored. The enjoyment and pleasure of the spectators and the value of having a free of charge, high quality family and sporting event in the city of Düsseldorf, is definitely appreciated by all visitors to the event.

Come to the Rhine - entrance is free
Free entrance to the FIS Ski World Cup in Düsseldorf is really an exception in major sporting events of this scale. To guarantee this service, the organizers allrounder (Jever Ski Hall, Neuss), sportAgentur Düsseldorf and the West German Ski Association e.v., need sponsors and partners to help finance the event. Since the very first World Cup on the Rhine in Düsseldorf, ARAG Insurance has been one of the main sponsors. The partner for tourism is once again Swiss Tourism. The allrounder Group as organizer and snow deliverer is also a main sponsor of the event, co-sponsors are PCC, the facility management company, ISS Facility Services, and the sponsor Europcar, Audi and the Raiffeisenbank Kleinwalsertal have extended their sponsorship. New this year is the wholesaler group, Metro.
„Due to the commitment of our sponsors and partners, we are once again able to finance this event without having to ask spectators to pay an entrance fee”, says World Cup organizing manager and CEO of allrounder, August Pollen. “We are particularly pleased that we have been able, over the years, to gain complete backing from our partners and take this as overall assurance and satisfaction on their part, as to the quality of this event.”