Skiing at 248 Kilometres per Hour: Valentina Greggio Meets 200 Young Thinkers from the University of Insubria and Sports High Schools

How do you tackle a downhill ski run at almost 250 kilometres per hour? What physical and mental skills are required to achieve extreme performances? And how important are technology and equipment in the pursuit of maximum speed? These are some of the questions that will be explored during a meeting with Valentina Greggio, six-time world champion in speed skiing and holder of the women's world record of 248.270 km/h, scheduled for Friday, 30 October, at 10 am at PalaInsubria, on the University of Insubria's Varese campus.

Entitled "Professione Sport: If You Can Dream It, You Can Do It", and launched last year with volleyball player Valentina Diouf, the initiative is part of the 18th edition of the Giovani Pensatori (Young Thinkers) project, promoted by the University of Insubria and the Galileo Ferraris Scientific High School in Varese. The event is organised in collaboration with the Degree Programme in Sport and Exercise Sciences, chaired by Professor Andrea Moriondo, and the Physical Education Department of the Manzoni High Schools in Varese, under the coordination of Stefania Barile.

Two journalists will lead the conversation with Valentina Greggio: Gianmario Bonzi, Eurosport commentator, and Mattia Andriolo from Rete55. Together, they will explore her career, the preparation required to compete at the highest level and the challenges of a discipline in which every detail can make a difference. The audience will include more than 200 fourth- and fifth-year students from sports high schools in Varese and the surrounding province, although the event is also open to the general public.

Originally from Verbania, Valentina Greggio is one of the most successful athletes in the history of speed skiing. On 3 April 2026, on the slopes of Vars, France, she set the women's world record by reaching a speed of 248.270 km/h, having already secured her sixth world championship title.

Speed skiing, also known as the flying kilometre, pushes athletic performance to its limits: competitors descend specially prepared slopes at extraordinarily high speeds. In this discipline, talent and physical preparation must be combined with the ability to maintain concentration, control body position and use equipment designed to minimise air resistance.

The relationship between athletes and technology is one of the most fascinating aspects of the event, offering students the opportunity to understand how exceptional sporting achievements are also the result of research, experimentation and innovation in materials and aerodynamics.

Through the experience of a champion who has made speed her speciality, the meeting aims to highlight the importance of discipline and rigorous athletic preparation in turning a passion into a profession. It will also emphasise how the world of sport extends far beyond competitive activity, offering career opportunities in a wide range of fields, from journalism and management to teaching, sports medicine and sports law.