Ski Race Training in Zinal

Snow-sure early-season racing

Zinal sits at the head of the Val d’Anniviers in the Swiss Valais, and it’s one of the very few places you can do early-season race training that isn’t on a glacier. That’s a real advantage: you get reliable, race-ready snow while avoiding the brutal weather a high-altitude glacier can throw at you in late autumn.

In the early season the resort is closed to the public and given over to performance skiers, opening for ski racers only. Zinal has excellent snowmaking and fires up the cannons at the first opportunity to guarantee coverage, and it’s the early-season home of FIS and Europa Cup races, so you’re training on a genuine race venue.

A typical training day

Training usually gets going around 8:30am. The gondola runs from 07:45 Monday to Friday (08:00 at weekends), giving you time to get up to the snow and ready before the session starts.

There are several training pistes, with full-length GS courses available. That’s genuinely rare for pre-season training, and a big part of what makes Zinal so valuable. The morning training piste is reserved until 11:45, with lunch served from 12:00 at the Sorebois altitude restaurant. Afternoon slots (12:00–15:30) are also available for extra mileage.

The Zinal camp: ISIA Test Prep

Zinal is the venue BASI uses to host the ISIA Speed Test, normally in early-to-mid December. Our camp is timed for the days immediately before the test, sharpening race form and execution on full-length GS courses so you arrive ready.

It pairs naturally with our November Foundation camp in Saas-Fee, forming a season-long pathway from building the fundamentals to final test preparation.

Getting there, staying & lift passes

Getting there. Zinal sits at the head of the Val d’Anniviers; the nearest airports are Geneva and Sion, with a transfer up the valley to the resort.

Lift pass. Zinal is on the Magic Pass, which also covers Saas-Fee, so it’s worth getting if you’re doing our November camp too, or more than one block here.

Where to stay. There are plenty of Airbnb options, plus a good range of hotels and guesthouses in the village:

• Hôtel Europe, Zinal
• Hôtel La Pointe, Zinal
• Hôtel le Besso, Zinal
• Hôtel le Trift, Zinal, +41 27 475 14 66, zinaltrift@bluewin.ch
• Hôtel le Bouquetins, Zinal, +41 27 475 25 09, bouquetins431@gmail.com
• Pension de la Poste, Zinal, +41 27 475 11 87, info@lapostezinal.ch
• Swisspeak Resorts, Zinal, +41 27 475 30 33, zinal@interhome.ch
• Auberge Alpina, Zinal, +41 27 475 12 24, info@auberge-alpina.ch

Frequently Asked Questions

When does the Zinal camp run?

Early-to-mid December, in the days before the ISIA Speed Test that BASI hosts in Zinal. It’s final preparation on full-length GS courses.

Why train in Zinal rather than a glacier?

Zinal is one of the few early-season venues that isn’t a glacier, so you get reliable, race-ready snow without the brutal weather high-altitude glaciers can bring in late autumn. Strong snowmaking and early cannon coverage make it dependable.

Is Zinal open to the public in early season?

No. In the early season the resort is closed to the public and dedicated to performance skiers, opening for ski racers only. It’s the early-season home of FIS and Europa Cup races.

What level is the Zinal camp for?

It suits developing racers and instructors building giant-slalom consistency, and anyone doing final preparation for the ISIA Speed Test on full-length race courses.

Can I combine Zinal with the Saas-Fee camp?

Yes. Our November Foundation camp in Saas-Fee and the December test-prep camp in Zinal make a natural pathway, and the Magic Pass covers both resorts.

Ready to train in Zinal? Join our ISIA Speed Test training camps or one of our Masters race training weeks.