In Cortina, there is a long tradition of cross-country skiing: in February 1927 the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships took place, in 1936 the first cross-country skiing Palio (competition) was held, making it the oldest competitive event in the Ampezzo Valley, and in 1956 the Winter Olympics, which included cross-country skiing events, were held in Cortina. In addition, the European Students Championships were held on the Tre Croci competition pistes, and athletes from the Italian national and Olympic teams, such as Maurilio De Zolt, Pietro Piller Cottrer, Silvio Fauner, Anna Comarella and Ole Einar Bjørndalen, trained there.