Gorazd Bedrač, Chief of the race:

"Weather has been favourable. We've managed to make all the snow needed for the race because of the ideal cold weather. But we're not only in charge of the race organization but also have to take care of other skiers on Pohorje.  There will be skiing possible down into the valley on Thursday at the latest. Next week we'd also like to open the Čop slope, which means that there will be skiing possible also during the race.

We've made 30.000 cubic metres of snow and used 18.000 of water for that, which should normally be enough for skiing until March, but this year a very cold winter is forecast, so we might be skiing even in April.

The essential slope preparation was done, so we can calmly expect the snow check on 3 January that will be carried out by Filip Gartner. Next week we’ll make the injection board that is injecting water into snow, which has been compulsory in the World Cup since last year. If the weather gets warmer, we’ll do that on Monday, otherwise on Wednesday."

Srečko Vilar, Secretary general of the OC of the 45th GF Trophy:

"Golden Fox Trophy will take place in Maribor that is for sure now! For that reason we’re now only following our established programme, which means that we’ll bring the Golden Fox even closer to Maribor. On Friday there will be a race opening at Trg svobode (Svoboda Square in the city centre), on Saturday the Giant slalom award ceremony. The New Year’s Eve atmosphere will be prolonged until the race, so all the city decoration is staying until then. A singer Nuša Derenda and Petar Grašo will be entertaining on Friday and the Šank Rock band on Saturday.

Also this year all these wouldn’t be manageable without our sponsors, the general sponsor Zavarovalnica Maribor, the general patron Pošta Slovenije, patron HSE, the giant slalom patron NLB and the slalom patron NKBM.

The race budget is 1,1 million euro and we count on profit, which was as high as 150.000 euro in the last year.

All teams are already registered, 23 altogether. The racers are coming to Maribor on 4 January, after the race on Sljeme hill in Croatia. The Slovenians will be training here sooner already, but not after 3 January, when the snow inspector will close the race slope for training. For that reason we already prepared the warming-up slope on the part of the old Maribor slalom slope.

We expect some distinguished guests to come and watch the race. The Slovenian Premier Borut Pahor announced his arrival for Saturday; also some ministers are coming, Samuel Žbogar, Aleš Zalar, dr. Patrick Vlačič, dr. Milan Pogačnik, some foreign diplomats and twenty members of the parliament.

We are proud, that we managed to build the new part of the hotel Arena in time, where some teams will already be staying. However, in the future we’re planning to use it even more for our own organizational purposes."