Meribel prepares for the 2015 Alpine Skiing World Cup finals

Make sure you put the dates in your diary! Méribel has been awarded the most prestigious competition in the skiing calendar, the Finals of the FIS Alpine Skiing World Cup.

This international event, held 18 to 22 March 2015, definitely should not be missed. 9 events will take place including descent, super G, slalom, giant slalom and team races. The best of the best will compete: the world's 25 top skiers from each discipline, plus the European and Junior World Champions will battle for World titles on Méribel's pistes.

This is a first for France, the only time a French resort has had the honour of organising all the events. We can expect a similar atmosphere to the 1992 Olympic Games in Méribel: a party atmosphere in the town, top level events to watch and unusually quiet slopes as a majority of visitors will be involved with the racing.

The preparations for 2015 are already underway. A host of top level competitions have been scheduled in the run-up (2012: Europa Cup Slalom and Giant Slalom; 2013: Europa Cup Downhill; 2014: French Championships). The site - the Grand Duc and Stade pistes - is about to undergo extensive improvements. This summer, the administrative processes were completed, including a study of the flora and fauna and various planning applications. Over the next two summers, the site will be developed, including piste re-shaping, the creation of a tunnel at the intersection of the Gelinotte piste, plus the installation of nets, timing systems and more snow cannons.

If you fancy being at the heart of the event, you can become a volunteer. Hundreds of helpers will be required for the event so if you are interested, why not join Méribel's Volunteers' Club, the Club des Bénévoles?