Baku, January 9, 2026 – The Europe Today: Azerbaijan has launched its first-ever international alpine skiing tournament, the “Azerbaijan Open,” at the Shahdag Tourism Center under the calendar of the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS).
The event is jointly organized by the Azerbaijan Winter Sports Federation and the Shahdag Tourism Center. The opening ceremony was attended by Minister of Youth and Sports Farid Gayibov and President of the Azerbaijan Winter Sports Federation Fuad Nagiyev, according to media reports.
A total of 20 female athletes from Azerbaijan, Switzerland, Hungary, Slovenia, Georgia, Hong Kong, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, Nepal, and Uzbekistan are competing in the tournament across various age categories. Azerbaijan is represented by local athlete Anastasia Papatoma.
On the first day of competition, athletes are contesting the slalom discipline, while giant slalom events are scheduled for the following days. The tournament will run until January 10.
The competition follows a five-year partnership agreement signed in May last year between the International Ski and Snowboard Federation and Azerbaijan’s State Tourism Agency. The agreement aims to promote the development of winter sports, enhance winter tourism infrastructure, and position Azerbaijan as an international winter sports destination.
Under the partnership, Azerbaijan has been designated as FIS’s “Global Destination Partner” and is set to host the FIS Moguls World Cup final for the first time on March 14–15 this year.
