Cross-Country update from the FIS Autumn Meeting in Zürich

During the annualy held Autumn Meetings in Zürich, the FIS Cross-Country Executive Board discussed various matters from the Sub-Committees that were held from 2nd to 4th October 2019.

Vegard Ulvang, Chairman of the Executive Board opened the meeting with a presentation by Martin Schlapbach from the Norwegian Institute for air research (NILU/ Norsk Institutt for Luftforskning) who shared his knowledge about detecting fluorine.

All approved matters from the Executive Board will need to pass by the FIS Council meeting which will be held on 23rd November 2019.

Programme of the Nordic Junior World Ski Championships

In order to make the Nordic JWSC more manageable for future organizers, the Cross-Country committee has reviewed options on how to reduce the schedule of the JWSC, as appointed by the FIS Council in spring 2019. The Cross-country Committee believes that the Cross-country U23 events should remain as a part of the Nordic JWSC programme. In regard of financial and logistical aspects, the solution of reducing the schedule however, a possible solution would be to leave out the U23 15 and 30 km Mass start competitions.

FIS Cross-Country World Cup

Following the athletes input to raise the prize money, the FIS Executive Board was looking into finding the most suitable solution - also in regard to the organizers - to increase the prize money step by step within the next few years.

For this years World Cup, the restricted course access times were defined and approved by the Executive Board.

Furthermore, the Sub Committee for Roller Skiing worked on the calendar planning for the season 2020 as well as on few adjustments to the World Cup rules and regulations. The Sub Committee for Rules & Control had no major rule changes but few interpretation matters, which were presented and approved by the Cross-Country Executive Board.

Ski Tour 2020

For the upcoming tour in Scandinavia, the rules were included in the World Cup rules and regulations, defining pivotal parts such as entries, transportation, accomodation and coaching regulations. The Ski Tour 2020 will include an international boarder crossing during a race, which is a "first" in the history of the FIS Cross-Country World Cup. During this stage of the 38km race course, feeding zones will be strictly limited in order to guarantee as little impact on the course and landscape as possible. More information on the Ski Tour 2020 will be available on skitour2020.com.

World Cup calendars

The FIS Cross-Country World Cup calendar 2019/20 was approved. The long term calendar draft was disgussed in regard of the inputs that were given by the athletes survey in spring 2019 and the inputs of the National Ski Associations. The final confirmation of the 2020/21 World Cup calendar is due by the FIS Council in spring 2020. The Cross-Country Executive Board acknowledged and approved the drafts.

For the latest version of the FIS Cross-Country calendar and draft, please click here.

World Cup TDs seminar

The traditional FIS Cross-Country World Cup Technical Delegates update took place on Thursday, 3rd October. Karl-Heinz Lickert, chairman of the Sub-Committee for Rules and Control provided World Cup Technical Delegates with the most important ICR update.

The Zürich meetings did not only include the regular Sub-Committee and Executive Board meetings but also gave the opportunity for organizers, National Ski Associations and FIS to meet and mingle about their current projects and state of preparation.

As an input on training sessions for younger athletes, Georg Zipfel, former German National team coach set up a Roller Ski park in collaboration with colleagues from various National Ski Associations and invited the local Ski Club Am Bachtel to a training session, including a demonstration of possible development options during a training. This feature was particularly interesting for representatives of countries with arising Roller Skiing facilities.