Racing will take place on the Olympic run built for the Albertville Games, which is recognised as one of the most technically challenging in the world.

The run, built for the 1992 Albertville Olympic Games and the only one of its kind in France, was Annecy 2018's natural choice to host the bobsleigh, luge and skeleton events.

"The La Plagne run has already proved it can push athletes to their limits," observed Edgar Grospiron, Olympic Mogul Skiing Champion at Albertville and chief executive of Annecy 2018.

"The Intercontinental Cup is a wonderful opportunity for Annecy 2018 to show that this unique French run is ready to host international competitions."

In 2008, the track's cooling mechanism was completely redesigned with an environment-friendly glycol refrigeration system.

The run has been also covered throughout its entire length to protect the ice from the sun, and so reduce the energy needed to keep it cold.

As early as 1992 La Plagne began using its run as a tourist attraction.

Every winter around 14,000 people experience the ultimate thrill of one of its three rides, in a so-called bob-raft, mono-bob or taxi-bob.

The La Plagne run, with its 19 bends, is also one of the longest, totalling 1,500 metres.

Reaching speeds in excess of 130 kilometres per hour, skeleton sliders can experience up to 5G of pressure on their shoulders.

A Skeleton Intercontinental Cup is an obligatory intermediate stage for athletes wanting to take part in the World Cup.

Qualifying for the new season is based on the previous season's final results, taken from the International Federation for Bobsleigh and Tobogganing (FIBT) rankings.

The Intercontinental Cups take place today and tomorrow.


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