Uri hopes for tourism increase from staging Lucerne 2021 cross-country snowboarding

The head of the Andermatt Realp wing of the Lucerne 2021 Organizing Committee, Beat Jörg, wants the event to showcase the tourism sector of Canton Uri and insists that the preparations go well.

Andermatt-Realp will host the cross-country skiing competition in Lucerne in 2021 later this year. As Lucerne is more than an hour’s drive from the Urseren Valley, the athletes will be accommodated in Andermatt.

Jörg, who is also director of education and culture for the canton’s government, is keeping an eye on how the region can benefit from hosting part of the Universiade, which is due to take place December 11-21.

“The Urserental and the canton should increasingly be experienced and perceived as a unique alpine sports and leisure paradise with modern hotels and restaurants,” said Jörg.

“From a sporting point of view, the highlight is the relay race and, from a social point of view, the big final party in the concert hall.

“What I am eagerly awaiting is a great competitive atmosphere in our great Uri mountains.

“I am convinced that the athletes, the support staff, the volunteers and the guests will experience the Urseren Valley from its most beautiful side.”

Lucerne is the second Swiss host of the Winter Universiade © Getty Images

In order to meet the standards for cross-country training and competitions, the trails in Andermatt-Realp were created and homologated in 2020.

“We have to level the ground on which the containers are positioned, build the changing rooms and slightly improve the cross-country ski trail in certain places,” added Jörg and explained what still needs to be done.

“We are also optimizing the details of our employees’ work schedule.”

Lucerne is expected to be the second Swiss host of the Winter Universiade after Villars hosted the second edition in 1962.

The competition was postponed from January 2021 to December due to the coronavirus pandemic.