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More than a century of skiing in the region of Liptov! Thanks to Jasná, Liptov has become one of Slovakia’s most popular skiing destinations.
The story began at the end of the 19th century when the first skis appeared in Jasná. A few years after the war, the first section of the cable car operating to Mt Chopok was completed, gradually linking the sides of the mountain together. The legendary Von Roll cable car connected the north and the south of Mt Chopok, opening up skiing opportunities and showcasing the immense potential of the resort. Let’s take a closer look at the history of Jasná and skiing in the area!
So don’t hesitate – come and ski here yourself and become part of the history of this legendary Slovak resort! Winter Jasná Opening is Slovakia’s biggest winter season kick-off!
Over 100 years of skiing in Liptov
A major milestone occurred at the end of the 19th century, thanks to tanner Kornel Stodola from Liptovský Mikuláš. Between 1888 and 1889, he brought the first skis to Liptov from Norway. Initially, skis were used in forestry and when delivering post to remote mountain regions. Over time, however, they became a popular leisure activity, and locals began hiking up and skiing down Mt Chopok.
It has been 50 years since the first skis appeared in Liptov and the first section of the cable car on the northern side of Mt Chopok was completed. In 1949, a 2-seater detachable Von Roll chairlift began operating on the Koliesko–Luková route, spanning 1,145 metres. The second planned section, completed on 29th August 1954, measured 1,090 metres and connected the area of Luková and the top of Mt Chopok. Interestingly, passengers sat sideways on these chairs rather than facing the direction of travel.
The southern side of Mt Chopok comes alive too
The growing popularity of skiing sparked the idea of connecting the northern and southern slopes with a cable car. The project was completed in two stages. The first stage, connecting Srdiečko and Kosodrevina, was finished alongside the northern sections in 1954. The second stage, linking Kosodrevina and the top of Mt Chopok, was opened on 29th August 1957. However, the harsh mountain environment took its toll, and all four Von Roll cable car sections were gradually closed between 1994 and 1998.
Jasná keeps innovating
To maintain skier interest, the resort replaced the Von Roll system with a modern 4-seater chairlift on the Srdiečko–Kosodrevina route in 1994. A similar chairlift replaced the Koliesko–Luková section in 1997. Between 1998 and 2007, the Chopok summit was only accessible via a ski lift from the southern side. A temporary ski lift connecting the northern and southern slopes was built in 2007, and this temporary solution was replaced by the new Funitel cable car on the northern side on 20th December 2012, restoring full connection between the north and south of Mt Chopok by cable cars after 15 years.
World Cup in Jasná
The World Cup was not only held in the High Tatras but also in Jasná in the 1970s and 1980s. In 1979 and 1982, men competed to win the Grand Prix of the Demänová Caves as part of the season-long series. Women competed in 1984.
However, that was not the end and the World Cup returned to Jasná after the turn of the millennium. In 2016, the resort hosted the Women’s World Cup, featuring stars like Mikaela Shiffrin, Martina Dubovská, Veronika Velez-Zuzulová, Wendy Holdener and rising talent Petra Vlhová. The event marked the World Cup’s return to Slovakia after 30 years. Veronika Velez-Zuzulová won bronze, Shiffrin took gold, and Vlhová placed ninth.
A historic milestone for Slovak skiing
On 6th and 7th March 2021, Jasná went down in the history of Slovak skiing when hosting the Women’s World Cup again, featuring technical disciplines like giant slalom and slalom. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, spectators could only watch it from home. Nevertheless, Slovak star Petra Vlhová thrilled the fans by taking second place in the slalom and winning the giant slalom the following day to seal her dominance. The highest number of points collected during the whole season secured her the overall World Cup title, making it one of the most successful seasons of her career.
World Cup in Jasná 2024
Three years later, Jasná welcomed visitors for the Women’s World Cup in 2024, this time with spectators lining the slopes. It was the third World Cup event at Jasná in the 21st century, highlighting the resort’s quality and potential. Broadcasts from Jasná reached 32 countries, 120 world-class skiers competed on the pistes, 12,000 spectators watched them on-site and tickets were sold out in less than two weeks.
In the giant slalom, Sweden’s Sara Hector won gold, while Mikaela Shiffrin claimed silver. Shiffrin triumphed in the slalom, but the event was bittersweet for Petra Vlhová, who suffered a fall, requiring helicopter evacuation and ending her season prematurely.
Jasná Adrenalin
In addition to other events, Jasná also hosts world-class freeride competitions known as “Jasná Adrenalin.” These off-piste races feature natural obstacles and challenging terrain. In 2022, Jasná achieved the highest rating as a Freeride World Tour Challenger, attracting the best freeride skiers in the world.
A winter kingdom named Jasná
There is no doubt that the history of Slovak and global skiing was written in Liptov. The first skis appeared in the region in the 19th century, and in the 20th century, a cable car was already operating to Mt Chopok, connecting not only the northern side but also the southern side. Subsequently, Jasná became the venue of several Alpine Ski World Cup events, both in the previous millennium and the current one. In addition, Jasná is the home resort of the best Slovak skier, Petra Vlhová.
This article has been created in cooperation with MTHIKER.sk.
