Alpine update from the FIS autumn meeting

By Published On: October 5th, 2015Comments Off on Alpine update from the FIS autumn meeting

On Friday, Oct. 2, the FIS Alpine World Cup Sub-Committee met at the annual autumn meeting in Zurich to discuss several matters regarding the World Cup. The committee heard reports about different inspections and marketing improvements, and future calendars were also presented.

Major topics from the meeting included:

Presentation of the new format of parallel giant slalom

This summer, the FIS Race Directors worked together with various stakeholders to define the exact format of the parallel giant slalom, which will be tested at the Audi FIS World Cup this season in Alta Badia, Italy. After collecting the feedback from broadcasters, coaches, athletes and technical committees, the final adjustments have been made to ensure fairness and attractiveness. Everyone is now looking forward to this new, exciting format of giant slalom.

Cancellation of the New Year’s city event in Munich

Due to the previous difficulties in organizing the competitions, the German Ski Federation withdrew Munich as an organizer of the city event scheduled on Jan. 1, 2016. No replacement venue could be found for this season, but the event will stay on the calendar for the future.

Introduction of Killington as a ladies’ World Cup organizer

Twenty-five years after the last World Cup races in Waterville Valley, N.H., the World Cup tour is heading back on the East Coast of the U.S. The ski racing tradition is very strong in that area of North America, which will make the stop in Killington, Vt., in the 2016-17 season very exciting. Killington is taking over the weekend Aspen traditionally has in the calendar as Aspen will be hosting the World Cup Finals in 2017.

Election of Soldeu Grandvalira as recommended organizer of World Cup Finals 2019

The Alpine World Cup Committee voted between three very competent candidates to organize the World Cup Finals 2019: Lenzerheide, Méribel and Soldeu. In the end, the Andorran ski resort Soldeu Grandvalira was elected by a large majority and will now be recommended to the FIS Council to host the Finals in 2019.

The official meeting was followed by a workshop involving all the stakeholders, where some fundamental aspects of the World Cup were questioned in order to attract a wider and younger audience. After that constructive brainstorming, the Alpine World Cup Sub-Committee has decided to file a motion for a working group to further explore these questions.

In other general alpine matters, the Continental Cup Race Directors and the respective organizing committees presented information on the Youth Olympic Games of Lillehammer, taking place from Feb. 12-21, and the FIS Alpine Junior World Ski Championships, to be held in Sochi from Feb. 24 through March 5.

Release courtesy of FIS

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