Opinions differ on new FIS ski regulations

Some skiers are struggling to adjust to the wider skis being used in the World Cup this year, designed to better protect a racer’s knees.
SÖLDEN, Austria — Some skiers are struggling to adjust to the wider skis being used in the World Cup this year, designed to better protect a racer’s knees.
    The skis also lower the standing height of racers and are supposed to be gentler on the knees when doing turns and landing after a jump.
    “It’s kind of a big deal,” Olympic giant slalom champion Julia Mancuso said. “We had to use completely new skis. For me, it matters most in downhill … Sometimes when you’re questioning whether it’s equipment or your technique, you can just pull out an old pair of skis in downhill and know they're fast.”
    The new International Ski Federation rules increase the width of ski waists — limiting the hourglass shape of the ski that enhances carving.
    “A lower standing height with a wider ski gives skiers the chance to control their equipment better,” World Cup men’s race director Guenter Hujara said. “We don’t talk much about speed control, but it’s a very simple idea: A racer lands after a jump and he has a wider ski width to land on. And with a lower standheight, he’s able to control his skis better.
    “The feedback from the racers is that they feel they can ski even more competitively.”
    The changes have led to ski companies designing new models.
    “I think those kind of changes are always a little bit strange and it seems like a waste of energy and money to me in an industry that doesn’t need a waste of money and energy,” said American skier Bode Miller.
    Ski companies don’t agree.
    “I think it’s absolutely worth it. We were already close to those standards last season so we didn’t have to make big changes,” said Atomic’s head of development Rupert Huber.
    However, Huber said if the changes made the skis safer in terms of body mechanics, it also made them faster, which is at odds with attempts by FIS to increase race safety by reducing speeds.
    “Neither of these changes has made the skis slower,” Huber said. “In fact, it’s made them faster in part because with the wider ski, the side of the boots are less likely to touch the ground during turns.”
    Double overall World Cup champion Anja Paerson said the changes didn’t go far enough.
    “If you want to make the sport safer, you can’t only look at the material. It’s not only the skis that need to change,” Paerson said.
    “You have to look at the safety around the whole arena and also the World Cup schedule. Last year, we did six races in eight days,” Paerson said. “I don’t see how that is good for the body and how physically and mentally we can push every race in a row like that.”