The resort with 3 real stars and a big heart.
 

Elena (left), Sabrina (Centre), Nadia (right) on a relaxed Saturday morning.  By Alex Reed

Since the days of Alberto Tomba and Deborah Compagnoni, when Italians were glued to their televisions for every Ski event with a mixture of national pride and personal admiration for the athletes skill and speed, Italian ski has been left without a real star. Then the Picturesque ski resort of Montecampione near Bergamo produced not one but 3 emerging stars, all sisters and all dedicated to their sport, the national Italian team and to their home, Montecampione. Despite their success, the elder sisters have more recently been struck by misfortune and injury. Now back in form,  the sisters may have their best years ahead of them.

It was a cool wet autumn day that I made my way up from Valle Camonica to the Montecampione ski resort to visit the sisters, Elena, Nadia and Sabrina in their home just a few hundred meters from the main lift. The spectacular views down the valley and across to Lake Iseo combined with the multicoloured hues of the falling leaves gave an almost mystical feel to the day.

Their mother Giusi, greeted me warmly and made coffee as the girls came into the room relaxed and happy to talk about themselves, family and their beloved home, Montecampione.

"We all learnt to ski at about 3 years of age" explains Elena, "Our father, who works on Montecampione, supported us and encouraged us and I remember heading to the ski slopes of Montecampione instead of kindergarten" she adds with a smile.

Elena	Nadia with their father

The story since then writes itself, with all three sisters becoming national junior or senior champions with Podium finishes in the world championships. Elena won her fist world ski championship race in 2005 in Lake Louise Canada and recently won the FISI competition Cerro Castor, Argentina,

Nadia won three world titles at Junior level before being seriously injured by breaking both knees in St Moritz in January 2010 and more recently sustaining a further break in Cortina. She was upbeat about her fitness "I still need a few more months and I have not yet decided when to return to full competition, but I'm feeling good" she states confidently and I have a feeling we have alot to look forward to from Elena and Nadia as the Russian Olympics approach.

Sabrina

Sabrina is the youngest, full of energy and a lively character who must surely be the surprise package for the coming years. "I love skiing and I love where I live here at Montecampione" she says whilst looking out of the window over a beautiful Autumn mountainside scene. "When I can come home in winter I practice on Montecampione together with my sisters or with friends". Given that Montecampione is a compact resort, smaller than the brand names around it, what is it about Montecampione that encouraged them to ski at 3 years and still draws them to her slopes even today, Elena reflects "the continues connection of varied ski runs from 2000mts all the way down to base station at 1200mts, the quality of the slopes and the spectacular views whilst skiing are all things we love about this resort."

Despite their success, misfortune and injury they remain warm, approachable and relaxed, the only thing that caused some concern was my offer to do the interview in English ! A language they understand but have not yet apparently mastered.

They travel each year to over 15 countries and many different resorts, each has a strong memories of some world class resorts, yet here on a wet Saturday in November with the trees changing colour and the air beginning to shimmer with the advent of snow, all three are in their parents house in Montecampione, The place they call home, where they learnt to ski and where they train, where their father works and where the locals are proud to celebrate "Fanchini day" and Montecampione is proud to call them her own.. Home is where the heart is and Montecampione has proved not only to have great runs but a big heart too.