Alpine World Cup sub committee makes decisions in Varna

On Friday morning the sub committee for the Alpine World Cup met at the FIS Calendar Conference in Varna, Bulgaria, to tackle a full agenda of discussions from the past season and plans for the future.

The opening remarks were delivered by Chairman Niklas Carlsson where he challenged the group to give some serious thought to the future direction of alpine skiing.

“Where are we standing? Is the glass half full or half empty?” Carlsson asked rhetorically in his opening speech. “I believe we have to push for development but I also realize it’s hard when you love the sport as much as we do as it becomes hard to criticize it. And without criticizing it first we can’t develop it.”

Carlsson expressed his concern that the World Cup might currently be undergoing a small “midlife crisis” and this is the right time to decide what to do moving ahead.

“The World Cup will soon be celebrating its 50^th birthday, and I challenge you to take some time this summer and think of how we can help it not to lose momentum in the next 50 years. We can agree and disagree but eventually should come together and give recommendations to the Council about our development and future.”

Carlsson’s speech was followed by reports by Chief Race Directors Atle Skaardal (ladies) and Markus Waldner (men), who provided the Committee with their reports from the past season. Both spoke about the weather challenges their respective tours faced this past season but also how the World Championships in Vail-Beaver Creek and season finals in Meribel were excellent platforms to showcase the best skiing has to offer.

FIS Marketing Manager Marcel Looze informed the attendees about minor amendments to the advertising rules, including a change to the size of the ladies bib which will be proposed to the Council. In addition, a new look is being proposed for some of the Audi installations on site. The start installation and ceremonies’ backdrop could include some 3D elements in the future.

Looze also presented a report showing TV figures and concluded that there is room to grow out of the Central European market (which is currently generating the most media impact) and find ways to become more attractive to a younger audience.

The Chief Race Directors also clarified the proposals which had been put forward for minor adaptations and clarifications to the existing rules. These proposals would mainly impact the alpine combined quotas and replacement of competitors, wording of the World Cup Final starting order, clarification to the Nations Team Event Rules and City Event rules, injury status and others.

During the meeting a discussion also developed regarding the increase of the prize money to 120,000 CHF and a proposal has been put forward to freeze the Swiss franc exchange rate in light of the current economic climate. The topic will be further discussed on Saturday by the Finance Commission and then by the FIS Council to find a feasible solution so the exchange rate fluctuations don’t bring unbearable costs to race organizers.

Waldner announced that a proposal has been made for a parallel giant slalom to be added to the calendar and held in Alta Badia, Italy, next season.

“Parallel racers are good events, the younger generations like this format and by adding a PGS we are confident we can offer the audience a great and exciting product. This is not a new format, it’s an existing one and we believe in it.”

In addition to the PGS in Alta Badia, there are some new organizers on the calendar for the upcoming season. Stockholm is set to host a City Event while La Thuile, Italy, and Jasna, Slovakia, will be hosting a ladies’ downhill and super G and ladies’ giant slalom and slalom, respectively.

Santa Caterina, Italy, will for the second year in a row replace the men’s downhill in Bormio, but conversations are ongoing to try to bring back the race on the famous Stelvio slope in the near future. Also, Korea and Japan are back on the men’s calendar with a downhill and supe -G in Jeongseon and giant slalom and slalom in Naeba in February. Chamonix, France, is also making a comeback on the men’s tour with a downhill and alpine combined.

An increased emphasis next year will be put on the revival of the alpine combined as four races are scheduled on the ladies’ tour and three on the men’s. This will also mean that at the Finals in St. Moritz, Switzerland, a crystal globe will once again be awarded to the most successful racers in the discipline.

Long-term calendars were also discussed for both ladies’ and men before the meeting was adjourned. The next meeting of the group takes place at the FIS Fall Meetings in Zurich, Switzerland, in October.

Release courtesy of FIS