Ice skating was already popular in the early 20th century - today, HC Gherdëina plays in the Alps Hockey League
In the beginning, it was just a new and interesting pastime. An ice hockey team was founded in Ortisei as early as 1927. The Hockey Club Gherdëina (the Ladin name for HC Gröden / HC Val Gardena) was one of the first clubs to establish ice hockey in Italy.
For many years, it was one of the strongest teams in the country. Today, HC Gherdëina plays in the cross-border Alps Hockey League and the Italian Serie A. Initially, only natural ice rinks were available in the Val Gardena.
In 1967, an artificial ice stadium with a capacity for 4,000 spectators was built in Oltretorrente, opposite the centre of Ortisei and next to the valley station of the Alpe di Siusi Cable Car. In 1980, the 1981 Ice Hockey World Championship was awarded to Ortisei, on the condition that the stadium be roofed. The roof was completed in time.
On June 10, 1999, the ice stadium was destroyed by a landslide. Fortunately, no one was harmed. Since then, the Val Gardena team has trained and played at the "Pranives" ice stadium in Selva Gardena. To make this possible, HC Gherdëina merged with HC Selva. You can watch the home games live - the dates are published in the event calendar.
