Are and its sister area Duved, in the middle of Sweden, are the largest and best designed ski resorts in Scandinavia. Its only an hour drive away from the nearest city, Oestersund, which has an international airport. Are overlooks a beautiful Lake for summer recreation as well. Are and Duved offer great skiing as soon as snow covers the slopes . There are more than 50 lifts on the mountains, including a cable car, the only one in Scandinavia, that rises above the Areskutan Peak to a restaurant. Nice hotels make it a popular destination for tourists from Europe and Great Britain. Ski racing has strong roots there: in 1954, the FIS World Championships took place at Are, the only one ever in Scandinavia. The World Cup tour came to Are in 1970's and the Finals were held there three times in 1971, 1990 and 1993. They'll be back in 2001.
It's also in Are that the first men's World Cup downhills in Scandinavia were held in 1986 on the first course ever designed by the legendary Bernhard Russi. Ingemar Stenmark won there six times, but a rare loss to America's Phil Mahre in February 1981 remains more famous. It was a crucial success for Mahre who later beat the Swede for the Overall World Cup title. Many other big names are on the winners' list. The women's races are becoming a "Classic" event. The first night-GS was run in Are in February 1998 on the illuminated Olympia run where Thomas Fogdoe clinched the slalom World Cup title against Alberto Tomba in 1993.