Season preparation: Interview with Race Director Pierre Mignerey

The month of the first FIS Cross-Country World Cup competitions has arrived. From 27th to 29th November, Ruka (FIN) hosts the first event of the season. Despite challenging situations due to Covid-19 restrictions, the FIS Cross-Country World Cup calendar remained unchanged. Each World Cup organizer has – or currently works on – a health plan for the event that defines each participants and stakeholders travel, testing and field of work situation. The special regulations need to be approved by their respective national health authorities as national regulations count above all additional guidelines.

FIS supports the LOC with the FIS Covid-19 guidelines and the FIS Testing Protocol as well as additional specific solutions.

With intensive months of preparing for the unpredictable, FIS Cross-Country is looking forward giving Cross-Country World Cup competitions the best possible platforms. Race Director, Pierre Mignerey looks back on the groundwork that prepared the base for the upcoming season.

Since the abrupt season end in March, how did the FIS Cross-Country team internally prepare for this years season? What are the main points discussed?

First of all, the end of the last season has been difficult for all of us. The late cancellation of the events in North America had some important consequences for the teams, the organizers and the organizing National Ski Associations.

Our first priority to prepare the new season was to analyze and learn from this experience. It was important to adapt our rules, to adopt clear decision processes in case of emergency situations and to define a frame for the potential necessary adaptations to be decided during the season itself. Flexibility and reactivity will be crucial during the upcoming season.

Then we have tried to be prepared with different scenarios in terms of travel restrictions, event regulations and their consequences on the structure of the World Cup calendar.

As the  race director you reacted early with preparing a B-option for the calendar. What are the reasons that the season is still scheduled as previously planned?

In May, the discussions about the different scenarios led us to establish the so-called plan B calendar organized in blocks of competitions in the same country or at least region. Here again our goal was to be prepared for the worst case and initiate discussions with the all the stakeholders including the rights holders.

I understand that the plan B option is seducing on the paper with less travels and easier logistics, but it also involves a lot of challenges, doesn’t eliminate the risk of cancellation and has negative consequences for the organizing National Ski Associations, local organizers and the rights holders.

During the summer, the organizers have done incredible work to secure financially their events and their future and to provide safe conditions to all the participants in close cooperation with the relevant health authorities. Protocols are in place and will be regularly updated, following the various regulations and restrictions and using the experience from previous events.

Week after week it also appeared that we have to be ready to face a very dynamic and unpredictable situation. The evolution of the pandemic is very different from country to country and it is hardly possible to say which nation will be more appropriate to host World Cup events in one month.

Taking into consideration all these aspects, we have collectively decided at our autumn meetings that going forward with the “normal” World Cup calendar was the best possible option.

As the frame for the upcoming season took shape, how did you involve organizers, NSA's and teams to all stay on the same page?

We have been in contact with the National Ski Associations in April and May in order to check their commitment to organize World Cup events and collect various feedbacks in order to prepare our spring meetings.

It is important for us to keep in touch and have an open discussion with the organizers and the National Ski Associations. We are in regular contact with the organizing nations in order to share information and prepare the events under these special circumstances.

At the end of the summer we have started to organize online meetings for the Teams’ Captains with the goal to give them some direct information and also to collect some feedback.

The first meeting was held at the middle of September, just prior the autumn meetings. Another meeting took place at the middle of October. We have also re-started to send direct information to our World Cup WhatsApp group earlier than in the past.

In general and even more than before, our goal and our task is to stay in contact with all the stakeholders and try to guarantee a smooth circulation of the information and experiences.

Staying on top of frequently changing regulations on travel, quarantines and restrictions on site is a challenge. How are teams expected to plan their season?

Everybody should now understand that flexibility will be the key during the next season. This is disturbing all of us of course and maybe even more the athletes and coaches because “planning” is central in the usual life of an elite athlete.

That said, we try together with the LOCs, to assist all the teams in their preparations, planning and logistics as much as we can. For example, we will have some charter flights organized, centralized testing possibilities directly on-site or a FIS online system to collect whereabouts, test results and health questionnaire in order facilitate the access to the events.

What are the biggest challenges so shortly before the season for the FIS Cross-Country team?

Without any doubts the biggest challenges are unpredictability and the financial impact of all the Covid-19 related measures for the teams, the LOCs and the National Ski Associations.

Looking ahead, what are your expectations of athletes and other stakeholders that attend the World Cup events?

First of all, I really hope that everyone understand that we are very lucky to be able to have World Cup events! A lot of people in World are currently experiencing very strong limitations on their capacity to move and to simply practice sport and leisure activities. Being able to travel around Europe, to train, to compete and simply to enjoy our passion for skiing should definitely be seen as a great chance. So, despite all the challenges that we will have to face, despite the restrictions and despite the special procedures, we really hope to see people with a positive attitude.

Then of course we are expecting all the participants to follow the protocols and procedures, to respect the other people and in general to show an irreproachable behavior. Our individual responsibility will be crucial and will create the conditions to tackle this challenging situation all together or not.

What is your best case scenario that could happen this season?

Well, the best-case scenario is of course to through the entire season without any cancellation and without any major troubles both with Covid-19 and the snow conditions.

How will the Nordic World Ski Championships in Oberstdorf look like?

The organizers are working hard to make sure to have successful World Championships.

Of course, the number of spectators on-site will be limited but we also know from experience at the Olympics that the tension for the title and for the medals at major events is always creating a special atmosphere and giving the extra ingredient for exciting races.

The TV production crew is also very experienced and I’m sure that they will produce amazing TV pictures and pass the tension and emotions of the World Championships to the people watching at home.