Sports Writer Andrew Dampf teamed up with videojournalist Andrea Rosa, photographer Luca Bruno, and SNTV’s Neil Barker to bring to life a little-known and historically complex moment in sports history — the 1941 Alpine World Ski Championships held in fascist Italy during World War II.
The story was sparked by Dampf’s curiosity during a previous visit to Cortina d’Ampezzo — now set to co-host the 2026 Winter Olympics — where he encountered old photos displaying Nazi symbolism. That discovery led him to investigate how, in 1941, a version of the Alpine skiing world championships was held amid war, political propaganda, and a backdrop of rising fascism.
Dampf secured and conducted an on-camera interview with the author of a definitive book on the event, giving the piece expert historical framing. The team uncovered and incorporated rare archival materials, including amateur film footage and black-and-white photographs from the competition.
Rosa negotiated access to the historic footage, while Bruno obtained publication rights for key still images from a local researcher. Barker and SNTV supported the production and delivery of the visual package.
The result was a layered, cross-format report that not only recounted a forgotten chapter of Olympic history but also provided rich visual storytelling tied to a location now preparing to host the global games again.
Related articles
