Erik Arvidsson / GEPA pictures
The International Ski and Snowboard Federation and the Federation of European Ski & Snowboard Associations have created a new development program designed to strengthen alpine speed skiing through athlete training, coach education and race experience.
The Alpine Performance Series: Speed Excellence will visit five European venues during the 2026-27 season. The program expands on the FIS/FESA Speed Clinic and Speed Academy pilot held in Sölden, Austria, in spring 2026.
FIS announced the initiative July 23 and described it as a long-term effort to develop athletes and coaches within the same training environment.
Rather than treating education, on-snow preparation and competition as separate parts of development, the series connects all three.
A three-part development model
The program centers on three components: the Coach Speed Clinic, Speed Academy and Race Experience.
Coach Speed Clinics will provide mentored education in safety, course setting and coaching practices. Speed Academies will combine supervised on-snow training with interactive learning sessions for athletes.
The Race Experience component will give athletes an opportunity to transfer what they learned into competition and perform under pressure.
That structure reflects the program’s central message: “Learn. Train. Perform.”
FIS Director for Development Programs Dimitrije Lazarovski said the initiative represents a broader approach to development because it invests in athletes, coaches and national ski associations at the same time.
“By investing simultaneously in athletes, coaches, and National Ski Associations, we are creating lasting capacity rather than isolated events,” Lazarovski said in the FIS announcement.
Five locations and different development priorities
The 2026-27 Alpine Performance Series will include programs for female athletes, U16 skiers, U21 athletes, experienced competitors and coaches.
The series schedule includes:
- Saas-Fee, Switzerland: Speed Academy for female athletes, Sept. 24-29, 2026
- Zermatt, Switzerland: Speed Academy for U21 and experienced athletes, Sept. 28-Oct. 4, 2026
- Val Gardena/Südtirol, Italy: Coach Speed Clinic and FIS race, Nov. 29-Dec. 1, 2026
- Sölden, Austria: Coach Speed Clinic and Speed Academy for U16 athletes, March 30-April 4, 2027
- Narvik, Norway: Coach Speed Clinic and Speed Academy for U21 and experienced athletes, April 2027
Each location will emphasize a different part of the development pathway. The format allows FIS and FESA to serve athletes at multiple stages while also expanding the number of coaches with practical speed-training experience.
FESA Secretary General Jakob Winkler said the partnership will create more opportunities for athletes and coaches to learn from one another in an international setting.
“With this year’s program, we are successfully engaging additional regions and establishing distinct thematic priorities for each of them,” Winkler said.
Why speed development requires a combined approach
Speed disciplines demand more than access to terrain and equipment. Athletes need safe progression, experienced course setting, informed coaching and enough repetition to build confidence at higher speeds.
The Alpine Performance Series aims to address those needs within one system.
FIS and FESA will place coaches and athletes in the same learning environment, allowing both groups to discuss training concepts and apply them immediately on snow.
Cornelia Blank, FIS senior manager for education, said that connection between instruction and application is central to the program.
“The Alpine Performance Series allows us to bring education directly into the training environment, creating opportunities for coaches and athletes to learn together, reflect together, and transfer new knowledge into practice from day one,” Blank said.
The model also gives participating national ski associations a way to bring knowledge home. Coaches can apply what they learned within their own programs, while athletes gain experience in international training environments.
Building on the Sölden pilot
FIS and FESA developed the expanded series after evaluating their spring 2026 pilot in Sölden.
During that program, coaches worked with specialists, tested coaching methods in practical settings and exchanged ideas with participants from other nations. Athletes received structured speed training alongside educational sessions.
According to FIS, the pilot showed the value of placing education directly within the training environment rather than limiting development to classroom presentations.
The new series now extends that model across multiple venues and age groups.
FIS also views the program as a possible framework for future development initiatives in other areas of skiing and snowboarding. The organization said its goal is to create sustainable pathways rather than one-time camps or isolated educational events.
Applications will open soon
FIS has not yet released the official application process. The organization said places will remain limited so coaches and athletes can receive individualized instruction and meaningful access to program experts.
Application information and additional eligibility details are expected soon.
Athletes, coaches and program leaders can review and download the official Alpine Performance Series: Speed Excellence overview here.
Information for this article came from the International Ski and Snowboard Federation’s July 23 announcement and the official FIS/FESA program overview.
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