Bakuriani is preparing to host the 2023 FIS Freestyle Ski, Snowboard and Freeski World Championships for the first time ©Getty Images

The International Ski Federation (FIS) secretary general Michel Vion has met with Irakli Garibashvili, the Prime Minister of Georgia and other representatives in the Borjomi district of Georgia, Bakuriani.

Progress towards the upcoming 2023 FIS Freestyle Ski, Snowboard and Freeski World Championships was the main subject discussed in the meeting, which took place at the Government Administration during the FIS Slopestyle World Cup competitions last weekend.

According to Georgia’s Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili, the progress of skiing and winter sports as well as the training of Georgian athletes at an international level, proceeds to evolve faster.

The Government of Georgia has made additional efforts to better meet the needs of such a big event, including installing a new snowmaking system and constructing new ski trails and good-quality modern lifts.

Artificial lakes and auxiliary facilities are also among the facilities to be built for the tournament.

Bakuriani has already began to prepare in advance to deliver a high-level competition in 2023.

The 2023 venue hosted slopestyle events during the weekend in preparation for the World Championships, where Laurie Blouin of Canada took victory in the women’s event and Germany’s Leon Vockensperger earned his first career World Cup win.


Blouin’s compatriot Jasmine Baird finished second followed by the Swiss snowboarder Bianca Gisler in third.

Among the men, second place went to Australia’s Valentino Guseli while Leon Guetl of Germany sealed bronze.

This will be the first time for Georgia to host an event of this magnitude and organisers will hope they do not face climate issues as happened in the Slopestyle World Cup, preventing qualification from going ahead.

The meeting was attended by Levan Davitashvili, deputy Prime Minister and minister of economy and sustainable development of Georgia; Thea Tsulukiani, deputy Prime Minister and minister of culture, sports and youth of Georgia, Mariam Kvrivishvili, deputy minister of economy and sustainable development, Irakli Chirakadze, director of Mountain Resorts Development Company, Zurab Kostava, President of the Georgian Ski Federation, Patrick Lang, vice-president of GSF, Giorgi Ramishvili, adviser to GSF, and Sandra Spitz, FIS events management department head.