Miranova proga A is a women's World Cup technical ski course in Slovenia, on Pohorje mountain in Radvanje District, Maribor hostin Golden Fox (Zlata lisica) competition since 1978.

Part of Mariborsko Pohorje Ski Resort, the largest ski course in Slovenia, the slope is divided on upper part (GS start – Trikotna jasa) and lower part (SL start – Snow stadium finish).

Not counting ski slopes in Scandinavia with very cold winters, this is the course with lowest finish elevation on the World Cup circuit, at above sea level.

World Cup

History In 1978, competition moved from the upper "Old F.I.S" ("stara F.I.S"), incredibly steep and even too demanding slope at the top station next to Bellevue Hotel to the new slope in valley, direct into the city.

The Old slope was narrow with difficult access for a live audience, which had difficulty watching and standing on dangerous and icy steep inclines, with a small finish area.

For the next five years (1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983) competition was again, and for the last time, moved to the upper old FIS slope, due to lack of snow and warm weather.

In 1984, competition returned on this slope permanently, often with replacements in Kranjska Gora (1988, 1991, 2007, 2012, 2014, 2018, 2020, 2021) due to snow.

In 1987, the "Snow Stadium" (finish area) was bulldozed and completely redone; the terrain was lifted and flattened for easier access and more comfortable standing.

In 1994, Urška Hrovat won Saturday's replaced slalom in front of home crowd of 30,000, with a total attendance of 50,000 over three days. Real Fox fur trophy was awarded for the last time, due to animal rights controversy.

In 1995, Vreni Schneider won the record 6th Golden Fox trophy award and record 7th individual win. Slalom as first WC event ever, was split in two days due to rain, with 1st run on Sunday and 2nd on Monday.

In 1996, two giants slaloms (first replaced Lake Louise) and slalom visited 40,000 people in three days. Saturday's GS set women's World Cup TV ratings record with 17.6 million viewers in total.

In 1997, a new Arena hotel opened in the finish area and Urška Hrovat took Golden Fox Trophy. Juan Antonio Samaranch, the president of International Olympic Committee was among the spectators.

For the first time, the OC put the Golden Fox on the internet, something new for the World Cup. In two days, the Golden Fox page had over 1500 contacts from all over the world.

In 1998, Golden Fox was cancelled – the only time in its history without being replaced (in Kranjska Gora or any other venue).

In 1999, Slovenia hosted speed disciplines for the first and only time in history of World Cup, which should be on schedule on New Year's Day, but rescheduled on the next day.

In 2005, Tina Maze won first giant slalom in history of this competition, with a total attendance of 20,000 for two days. In 2009, Maze won her second giant slalom in Maribor, with an attendance of 15,000 over two days. By the analysis of INFRONT media group, Golden Fox had over 200 million TV viewers in total, the most watched World Cup broadcast of the season, both men and women, beating even Kitzbühel. 187 million in footages (69 stations and 77 hours). Live broadcast was seen by a total of 21 million people (6 million have seen giant slalom and 15 million slalom).

In 2013, Maze took her third win here by taking slalom in front of 19,000 people. She also won the Golden Fox trophy as the third Slovenian after Mateja Svet and Urška Hrovat. And over 40,000 people attended in two days.

In 2021, they decided to prepare and build additional slope on higher altitude on crossing, combined and widened with existing upper part of the slope, due to unstable weather conditions and lack of snow in the valley. The new reserve start will be at the top of famous ex Habakuk lift, continued by right side bypassing Luka cabin, then going lower to Špelca log, then joining existing upper GS slope, widening lower part cutting the forest, ending with finish area at Trikotna jasa (traditional slalom start).

Golden Fox

All but yellow labeled counted for traditional Zlata Lisica (Golden Fox) fur trophy, the best combined time of SL and GS.

TypeSeasonWinnerSecondThirdGolden FoxNote262 SL1977/78 Hanni Wenzel Maria Epple Lea Sölkner Hanni Wenzel premiere; replaced "Old F.I.S." slope SL1978/79lack of snow and high temperatures; moved to the upper "Old F.I.S." slope under Bellevue Hotel (Top gondola station)SL1979/80GS1980/81SLSL1981/82SL1982/83421 SL1983/84 Erika Hess Tamara McKinney Christin Cooper Erika Hess permanent move to "Miranova proga A"464 GS1984/85 Michela Figini Vreni Schneider Blanca Fernández Ochoa Erika Hess465 SL Tamara McKinney Olga Charvátová Brigitte Gadient494 SL1985/86 Roswitha Steiner Erika Hess Ida Ladstätter Vreni Schneider495 GS Vreni Schneider Michela Figini Marina Kiehl496 KB Michela Figini Maria Walliser Marina Kiehlthis was not Golden Fox race GS combined with Val d'Isère (DH) GS1986/87not held due to rain536 SL Camilla Nilsson Vreni Schneider Corinne Schmidhauser Camilla Nilsson GS1987/88lack of snow and high temperatures; replaced in Kranjska GoraSL GS1988/89lack of snow592 SL Vreni Schneider Monika Maierhofer Tamara McKinney Vreni Schneider629 GS1989/90 Mateja Svet Anita Wachter Maria Walliser Mateja Svet 630 SL Vreni Schneider Ida Ladstätter Patricia Chauvet GS1990/91lack of snow and high temperatures; replaced in Kranjska GoraSLGS1991/92lack of snow; replaced in Piancavallo on 20 January 1992687 SL Vreni Schneider Deborah Compagnoni Pernilla Wiberg Vreni Schneider712 GS1992/93 Carole Merle Anita Wachter Vreni Schneider Vreni Schneider 713 SL Vreni Schneider Annelise Coberger Deborah Compagnoni 755 GS1993/94 Ulrike Maier Vreni Schneider Katja Seizinger Vreni Schneider (GS + SL 2) Golden Fox (GS combined with SL 2)756 SL Urška Hrovat Vreni Schneider Marianne Kjørstadthis was not Golden Fox race SL 1 replaced the event in Germany(it did not count for Golden Fox)757 SL Vreni Schneider Pernilla Wiberg Urška Hrovat Vreni Schneider (SL 2 + GS) Golden Fox (SL 2 combined with GS)791 GS1994/95 Martina Ertl Špela Pretnar Deborah Compagnoni Vreni Schneider792 SL Vreni Schneider Katja Koren Trude Gimle 1st run (26 January); 2nd off (rain);second run replaced (27 January) 816 GS1995/96 Martina Ertl Deborah Compagnoni Katja Seizingerthis was not Golden Fox race GS 1 replaced the Lake Louise(it did not count for Golden Fox)817 GS Katja Seizinger    Sonja Nef Martina Ertl Martina Ertl 818 SL Kristina Andersson Elfi Eder Claudia Riegler 847 GS1996/97 Sabina Panzanini Deborah Compagnoni Anita Wachter Urška Hrovat848 SL Pernilla Wiberg Urška Hrovat Lara Magoni GS1997/98lack of snow and high temperatures; both events replaced in BormioSLSG1998/99Super-G cancelled due to fog on 1 January 1999; replaced on the next day with double schedule (first SG, then GS)917 SG Hilde Gerg Martina Ertl Michaela Dorfmeister this was not Golden Fox race the only World Cup SG ever in Slovenia 918 GS Anita Wachter    Sonja Nef Alexandra Meissnitzer Anita Wachter 919 SL Pernilla Wiberg Hilde Gerg Ylva Nowén 952 GS1999/00 Michaela Dorfmeister    Sonja Nef Anita Wachter Sonja Nef953 SL Trine Bakke Špela Pretnar Sabine Egger994 GS2000/01 Sonja Nef Karen Putzer Renate Götschl Sonja Nef SLcancelled due to high temperatures and rain 1024 GS2001/02 Sonja Nef Tina Maze Stina Hofgård Nilsen Sonja Nef (GS + SL 2) Golden Fox (GS combined with SL 2)1025 SL Anja Pärson Kristina Koznick Laure Pequegnotthis was not Golden Fox race SL 1 replaced the Megève(it did not count for Golden Fox)1026 SL Anja Pärson Laure Pequegnot Sonja Nef Sonja Nef (SL 2 + GS) Golden Fox (SL 2 combined with GS)1067 GS2002/03 Anja Pärson Nicole Hosp Martina Ertl Anja Pärson1068 SL Anja Pärson Janica Kostelić Nicole Hosp1098 GS2003/04 Anja Pärson Michaela Dorfmeister M. J. Rienda Contreras Anja Pärson1099 SL Anja Pärson Marlies Schild Nicole Hosp1135 GS2004/05 Tina Maze Karen Putzer Martina Ertl Anja Pärson1136 SL Anja Pärson Janica Kostelić Tanja Poutiainen GS2005/06cancelled due to snow, rain and fog; replaced in Ofterschwang on 3 February 20061160 SL Marlies Schild Janica Kostelić Therese Borssén Marlies Schild GS2006/07lack of snow and high temperatures; replaced in Kranjska GoraSL1233 GS2007/08 Elisabeth Görgl Manuela Mölgg Denise Karbon Nicole Hosp1234 SL Nicole Hosp Veronika Zuzulová Marlies Schild1265 GS2008/09 Tina Maze Denise Karbon Kathrin Hölzl Maria Höfl-Riesch1266 SL Maria Höfl-Riesch Kathrin Zettel Tanja Poutiainen1304 GS2009/10 Kathrin Zettel Maria Riesch Anja Pärson Kathrin Zettel1305 SL Kathrin Zettel Tina Maze Maria Riesch GS2010/11interrupted and cancelled during first run after 25 skiers due to high temperaturesSLcancelled due to high temperaturesGS2011/12lack of snow and high temperatures; replaced in Kranjska GoraSL1411 GS2012/13 Lindsey Vonn Tina Maze Anna Fenninger Tina Maze 1412 SL Tina Maze Frida Hansdotter Kathrin Zettel GS2013/14lack of snow; moved to Kranjska Gora and cancelled due to heavy snowfall; then finally replaced in ÅreSLlack of snow; replaced in Kranjska Gora on originally scheduled calendar date1475 GS2014/15 Anna Fenninger Viktoria Rebensburg Tina Weirather Mikaela Shiffrin1476 SL Mikaela Shiffrin Veronika Velez-Zuzulová Šárka Strachová 1509 GS2015/16 Viktoria Rebensburg Ana Drev Tina Weirather Viktoria Rebensburg SLwarm temperatures and poor track conditions; replaced in Crans-Montana in 15 February 20161543 GS2016/17 Tessa Worley Sofia Goggia    Lara Gut Mikaela Shiffrin1544 SL Mikaela Shiffrin    Wendy Holdener Frida Hansdotter GS2017/18lack of snow and high temperatures; replaced in Kranjska GoraSL1626 GS2018/19 Petra Vlhová Mikaela Shiffrin Ragnhild Mowinckel Mikaela Shiffrin1627 SL Mikaela Shiffrin Anna Swenn-Larsson    Wendy Holdener GS2019/20lack of snow and high temperatures; replaced in Kranjska GoraSLGS2020/21SLGS2021/22SL

Course name confusion Many terms (lifts and slopes have different names) appears for this course which is a bit misleading: "Miranova proga A" – is a 2200 metres long WC slope, beginning at top of old Habakuk lift, passing upper GS part and lower SL part and to the finish area (Snow Stadium). "Radvanje" – is the name of the Maribor district with 8,000 inhabitants below the finish area (Snow Stadium) and also the old 2-seated same name chairlift parallel to World Cup Slalom slope. "Snow Stadium" – Snežni stadion is the flat World Cup finish area surrounded with two hotels, restaurant and multi purpose event den. It is popular gathering place with bottom Radvanje 2-seated chairlift. "Pohorje 2" – is a non existing term in the vocabular and official ski resort map legend. It appears only on FIS official result lists site as the name for giant slalom slope, as mentioned, you can't find it anywhere else. "Habakuk" – is the first resort lift opened in 1951 (at first 1-seated chairlift, then surface, now removed), named after Bugbear that "lives" in Pohorje and nearby farm. Also the same named hotel in the valley opened in 1974.

Club5+ In 1986, elite Club5 was originally founded by prestigious classic downhill organizers: Kitzbühel, Wengen, Garmisch, Val d’Isère and Val Gardena/Gröden, with goal to bring alpine ski sport on the highest levels possible.

Later, over the years, other classic long-term organizers joined the now named Club5+: Alta Badia, Cortina, Kranjska Gora, Maribor, Lake Louise, Schladming, Adelboden, Kvitfjell, St.Moritz and Åre.

Course sections Habakuk, Luka Cabin, Trikotna jasa, Snežni stadion, Arena

References

External links