IBU World Cup: Hochfilzen relies on SNOW4EVER 200 for perfect snow
The Biathlon World Cup in Hochfilzen (AT) is one of the first stops on the IBU race calendar each year. A crucial part of the preparations is ensuring top-quality race tracks—with snow as the key element. To guarantee the required quantity and quality of snow, organizers this time relied not only on stored snow from the previous season and conventional snowmaking but also on the SNOW4EVER 200 all-weather snowmaking system from DEMACLENKO and 3CON.
“The fact that SNOW4EVER produces real snow, not ice, completely independent of temperature, played a major role in the success of our World Cup event,” emphasizes Franz Berger, head of the World Cup organizing committee in Hochfilzen. The prestigious event takes place every year in mid-December at the “Hochfilzen/Pillersee Tal” Biathlon and Cross-Country Center, where uncompromising track quality is essential. To properly prepare the race course and receive official approval for competitions, a total of 11,000 cubic meters of snow is required.
Since the event is scheduled quite early in the season, conventional snowmaking systems often struggle to produce sufficient snow due to warm temperatures. Natural snowfall is also highly unpredictable during this period. To compensate, organizers typically rely on a stored snow depot from the previous winter—but even that does not always cover the full requirements. “Thanks to SNOW4EVER, we were able to work independently of these factors this time and efficiently produce the missing snow volumes,” says Franz Berger. “And we didn’t have to compromise on quality either. The snow integrated perfectly, allowing us to prepare high-quality, consistent tracks,” he adds. SNOW4EVER is the only all-weather snowmaking technology in the world that produces snow indistinguishable in quality and consistency from that of conventional snowmaking systems.
“The World Cup in Hochfilzen always takes place in mid-December, but of course, our preparations start much earlier. That’s why it was crucial for us to produce this high-quality snow regardless of unstable weather conditions and temperatures,” explains Franz Berger. “With SNOW4EVER, we were able to meet the IBU’s high standards and secure track approval without any issues.” No salt or chemical additives are required in the production process, and the snow density—and therefore its quality—can be individually adjusted as needed.
SNOW4EVER 200 was developed through a collaboration between DEMACLENKO and 3CON, a global leader in high-end manufacturing systems for the automotive, pharmaceutical, and medical industries. Even the prototype attracted significant interest, impressing with its unmatched snow quality. Following its outstanding performance at the IBU Biathlon World Cup in Hochfilzen, SNOW4EVER 200 is now ready for series production.
DEMACLENKO and 3CON also took the event as an opportunity to invite select customers and partners for an exclusive tour of the system, followed by an exciting day watching the biathlon competitions. Among the guests were a delegation from the organizing team of the IBU Biathlon World Cup in Ruhpolding as well as representatives of the German Ski Association (DSV) and the Ski Austria Academy.
