Grandvalira Drills Successful Piste Evacuation for Women's Ski World Cup

Emergency teams successfully tested evacuation procedures on the Àliga piste in Grandvalira's El Tarter sector during a drill held on Thursday, ahead of the Women's Alpine Skiing World Cup scheduled from 25 February to 1 March.

The exercise simulated an accident in the lower section of the piste, specifically at the challenging Il Curvone stretch. Around ten professionals participated, including piste staff, medical personnel, and helicopter crew. The operation evacuated the mock skier in about 20 minutes, with an additional six minutes estimated for transfer to Nostra Senyora de Meritxell Hospital, achieving a total of 26 minutes—within standards set by the International Ski Federation (FIS).

For the actual event, the emergency protocol will mobilise around 30 personnel, coordinated by Laura Sánchez, the operations lead; Santi López, race director; and Bibi Griera, deputy piste manager. Initial response comes from piste workers who assess incidents and alert medical services. Teams then decide on evacuation methods, such as ground transport to the sector's medical centre or airlift by the medicalised helicopter, involving Protecció Civil Andorra, piste medics, and the Urgent Medical Service (SUM).

Santi López described the drills as "fundamental for reviewing and validating procedures and identifying areas for improvement." Laura Sánchez added that such exercises "allow teams to be activated, tested, and coordinated to ensure rapid and efficient evacuations."

Grandvalira confirmed the simulation ran smoothly, bolstering readiness for the high-speed races on one of the course's most demanding sections.