In future, the Engadin Ski Marathon is to be positioned more strongly than an entire marathon week and marketed in growth markets in a targeted manner. The organization's knowledge and experience should also be made available to other events so that the region and sport can benefit even more from the major event. These are the main results of a strategy process that have now been published.
With around 15,000 participants in six races over eight days, the Engadin Ski Marathon is a highlight of the Engadin winter and the biggest cross-country skiing event in Switzerland. In its fiftieth year of existence, the “Engadin” is now adopting a new strategy. Together with the Federal University of Sport Magglingen (EHSM), the club's board and management have analysed which strengths they want to build on in the future and where there are opportunities to position the event strongly.
“The Engadin Ski Marathon is a sports festival, a unique experience and an economic engine for Engadin. At the same time, we can also be a place where know-how for endurance sports events is bundled and made available to the region and sport,” says Urs Pfister, President of the Engadin Ski Marathon Association, describing the new dual strategy for the major event. “We do this on the strong basis of 50 years of success and a very experienced team of OK and Voluntaris.”
Event and region: the two-part strategy
In future, the Engadin Ski Marathon will be perceived more as an “Engadin Marathon Week” — with the traditional 42-kilometer run as the highlight. “The women's run one week before the marathon has been a success story for years and with the launch of night running, we have successfully added a new element to the program this year,” explains managing director Menduri Kasper.
“We are now taking a close look at how we can develop the program for upcoming events. The focus is on the interests of cross-country skiers from Switzerland and international markets. Scandinavia and Germany are currently the growth markets for us; we will work more intensively on them and at the same time search for new potential.”
The second pillar of the future strategy is that the Engadin Ski Marathon will also be more involved outside the marathon week in March. “The organisation of the Engadin Ski Marathon has a great deal of know-how in organising endurance sports events and a large pool of volunteers,” says Hippolyt Kempf. Kempf led experts from Magglingen University in the strategy process for the Engadin Ski Marathon.
“There are already partnerships with Sommerlauf and La Diagonela; cooperation with other events in Engadin and the launch of an “Engadin Arena” for endurance sports is a good idea.”
“The Engadin Ski Marathon connects our valley in a unique way and brings together the various interest groups,” summarizes President Urs Pfister. “The new, two-part strategy with a focus on event and region will link the Engadin Ski Marathon even more closely with the region and its tourism, but also with Nordic skiing and endurance sports.”
Strategy process report for download
The final report on the strategy process is public. It can be downloaded here.
Contact for more information
Engadin Ski Marathon
Urs Pfister, President
+41 81 851 05 03
Menduri Kasper
+41 81 850 55 55
presse@engadin-skimarathon.ch
Logo and free press photos from the Engadin Ski Marathon
www.swiss-image.ch
Username: skimarathon
Password: engadin