Overview of the Spring 2024 Snowboard, Freestyle, and Freeski Committee Meetings

The 2024 FIS Spring Meetings took place this past week from 5-9 May in Portoroz (SLO), where the FIS Snowboard, Freestyle and Freeski ‘supercommittee’ closed out the week with it’s bi-annual gathering on Thursday, as the final meeting of the week in Slovenia.

Leading up to Thursday we saw subcommittee meetings for Snowboard Alpine, Freestyle, Ski Cross, Snowboard Cross and Park & Pipe all take place, as well as all the various advisory group meetings for judges and technical delegates, FIS Media & Marketing sessions, committees for PR & Mass Media and Advertising, along with many other gatherings both formal and informal. 

On top of that, there was the massive FIS 100 anniversary celebratory bash on Tuesday night, with perhaps the biggest bash in FIS history helping to make for a very busy week, indeed.

Below we’ll look back at some of the main ideas, proposals and decisions made in Portoroz.

Snowboard Cross

The 2023/24 Snowboard Cross World Cup was one of the biggest in recent memory, with 14 races (12 individual, two team) taking place over the season’s four months of action. With lowered injury rates, exceptional course building and some to-the-wire battles for the globes, it was a overwhelmingly positive season with plenty to build on as we head into next winter’s World Championships season and the 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milano-Cortina.

Also positive has been a greater collaboration between the Snowboard Cross and Ski Cross sides of the FIS family. While each camp recognises the different needs of the other, working from a position of understanding regarding shared needs, interests and concerns has been beneficial for all parties. Continued shared executive meetings moving forward will further this constructive relationship.

There are some concerns on the SBX front, particularly on lower and junior level competition levels. FIS recognises that significant work needs to be done to improve the quality and consistency of Continental Cup and Junior World Championships level competitions in order to ensure a strong pipeline to the SBX World Cup, and will take steps moving forward to address these issues.  

Ski Cross

Reflecting on a successful 2023/24 Ski Cross season in Portoroz, no major changes are slated for the 2024/25 season. The past season featured the largest World Cup calendar to date, comprising 17 individual races for men and 16 for women across 11 destinations. The athletes received significant support through increased prize money—CHF 510,000 for men and CHF 480,000 for women. Looking ahead, the provisional calendar for 2024/25 includes 19 races at 11 destinations, featuring the World Championships in St. Moritz and introducing new locations in Livigno (ITA), San Pellegrino (ITA), and Gudauri (GEO). Despite concerns about the Olympic Test Event in Livigno, the successful test event for the 2024 World Championships in St. Moritz underscored the importance of such trials, which will lead to necessary adaptations given challenges in course construction and weather.

The implementation of the fluor ban, despite a challenging start, proved successful and will continue to be optimized at the continental level. Course construction and the enforcement of yellow cards prompted in-depth discussions this season, which saw a record number of yellow cards issued—eight to men and none to women. The incidents that occurred are under continuous review and evaluation, and adjustments to the TV graphics regarding gate missings during the World Cup season have already been made.

The women's ski cross field faced challenges, notably decreased participation across most races. This was evident in Bakuriani, Georgia, where only 11 women competed in the finals. Most injuries were attributed to personal mistakes rather than contact, resulting in the loss of approximately 10 regular World Cup competitors. By the season's end, some athletes returned, and new female skiers achieved podium finishes. Addressing challenges in the women's field will require collaboration between Ski Federations and the FIS to boost participation.

In an encouraging development, the FIS, in collaboration with the Swedish Ski Federation, organized the first women's development camp in Idre Fjäll in December. Supported by Andrea Limbacher, 22 women from 9 nations participated in the successful camp. The FIS development department will continue to support this initiative, with the camp scheduled to be held again from December 8th to 15th, hosted by Idre Fjäll.

Park & Pipe

The 2023/24 season saw 25 World Cup competitions take place across Freeski and Snowboard Park & Pipe, with two full cancellations on the snowboard side of things - though one of those cancellations, the Spindleruv Mlyn (CZE) slopestyle, was rescheduled in Tignes (FRA). 

Weather was oftentimes an issue this past season, forcing much reshuffling of the day-to-day event programmes, and it’s a testament to all of our organisers and staff that we were able to accomplish so much under some difficult conditions.

As weather issues are so often a factor in Park & Pipe competitions, the subcommittee discussed the importance of continued consideration of this along with factors such as athlete safety/athlete skill level (throughout the start list), encouraging creativity, and on-site resources in course design and building. 

One major development in course design and build this past season was exemplified by the use of JF Dryski dryslope material for the in-run of the venue at the Big Air Chur. With a hugely successful first time use of the material, plans are in place for JF Dryski to potentially provide in-run coverage for all big air World Cup events moving forward. 

TV numbers were strong in 2023/24, with a ~50% increase over the previous season. However, soft streaming numbers show the importance of improving online accessibility for viewers, especially for key Park & Pipe fan demographics.

The 2024/25 Park & Pipe calendar is shaping up to be a strong one, and with the 2025 FIS Freestyle, Snowboard and Freeski World Championships host in St. Moritz-Engadin fully prepared for their starring role of the season in late March, 2025, anticipation is high for an exciting winter upcoming.

Along with the regularly scheduled meeting of the Park & Pipe subcommittee, this year’s spring meetings in Portoroz also featured a gathering of a smaller group with a new focus, as the Park & Pipe Project & Strategy group met for the first time.

The Project & Strategy group identified five main points of focus moving forward: judging (educations, improvements, and pay), reducing barriers of entry for female athletes, sharing knowledge amongst nations, Park & Pipe’s role at the Olympics, and the development of FIS Rails competitions with clear goals for the future potential of those events. 

It was a wide-ranging and inspired conversation across the Project & Strategy group’s four hour meeting, and we look forward to how these focus topics will help shape the future of FIS Park & Pipe competitions moving forward. 

Freestyle

Reflecting on a record-breaking 2023/24 Freestyle season, the World Cup calendar featured 11 stops across 9 nations, thanks to the huge involvement of organizers and host nations. This season saw some remarkable performances, particularly from athletes who set new records. Jakara Anthony (AUS) dominated the women's circuit with 14 victories, sweeping all three moguls’ globes. On the men's side, Michael Kingsbury (CAN) achieved his 90th World Cup victory and celebrated winning 10 races in a single season, while Ikuma Horishima (JPN) finally claimed his first single moguls’ crystal globe after finishing runner-up eight times. In aerials, Danielle Scott (AUS) reclaimed her title on the final competition day, and Qi Guanpu (CHN) secured his third World Cup title, his first since 2017. The Junior World Championships was hosted for the ninth time in Chiesa in Valmalenco, with around 20 nations competing, setting the stage for the sport's future stars. Additional praise is due to the organizers of the NorAm and Europa Cup Tours, with 15 stops in some of the most scenic resorts in Europe and North America, further promoting the sport’s development and appeal.

In a recent vision and strategy meeting, the Freestyle Committee focused on setting new goals and defining the sport's future. Discussions centered on optimizing event calendars, balancing the needs of organizers and teams, and ensuring the integrity of judging. The committee also explored how to leverage technology while preserving the essence of Freestyle. These pivotal topics will guide the committee's strategies as they aim to evolve the sport over the next decade, with further discussions planned for the upcoming meeting in Portoroz.

This year's Development Camp highlighted significant expansion in event offerings, notably with the integration of the aerials discipline alongside moguls, continuing the successful format from its inaugural edition. The addition of Aerials presents intriguing opportunities for all National Ski Associations (NSAs). This expansion was marked by the return of the Czech Republic and Finland to the Aerials scene, reviving their programs after a hiatus. The camp saw robust participation, with 37 athletes and 11 coaches from 11 different NSAs participating in Moguls, and in Aerials, 29 athletes and 14 coaches from 9 NSAs, reflecting the growing interest and commitment to these dynamic winter sports disciplines.

The Aerials Summer Grand Prix, also referred to as the Water Jump Grand Prix, continues to develop. Launched in 2023, this summer competition circuit utilizes aerials water ramps at training centers. To advance this initiative, critical enhancements are necessary: establishing a minimum standard for television production for streaming, improving the event's aesthetic, and implementing a full event production that includes a DJ, entertainer, and professional announcer. Additionally, providing real-time results, offering prize money for athletes, and securing financial support from FIS are essential. Looking ahead to 2024, the summer tour is set to include stops in Mettmenstetten (SUI), Park City (USA), and Brisbane (AUS).

The provisional calendars for the 2025/26 season have finally been announced for various levels of competition. The upcoming World Cup season is expected to be especially interesting, featuring 13 different locations highlighted by the Olympic test event in Livigno (ITA), and culminating in the season's pinnacle event, the 2025 World Championships in St. Moritz (SUI).

Alpine Snowboard

The Snowboard Alpine season reflected significant growth and innovation across its events. Throughout the past season, 7 different host nations showcased Snowboard Alpine at 10 resorts with a lineup that included 12 parallel and 3 team events, offering a total of 15 competitions for both women and men. This season was marked by the introduction of three new World Cup venues in Davos (SUI), Pamporovo (BUL), and Krynica (POL), contributing to what can be described as a successful, high-quality season with an average, yet decent number of World Cup stops. Innovations such as new camera angles, drone usage, and tools enhanced the viewer’s experience, providing clearer and more engaging content while also offering valuable lessons from these implementations.

The Europa Cup season also saw robust activity, with 5 different nations hosting competitions across 7 resorts and a total of 14 parallel competitions for women and men combined.

Significantly, the introduction of the Asia Cup marked a major development for the sport, enhancing opportunities for Asian athletes. The community expressed gratitude to everyone involved in making this initiative possible and is keen on supporting this progress to further elevate Asian athletes' capabilities.

The Alpine Snowboard Junior World Championships returned for the second time since 2020 to Lachtal (AUT), running from March 22-24. The event featured 92 athletes from 15 nations, competing in PGS, PSL, and PSL Team events, highlighting the burgeoning talent in the sport.

Moreover, the first-ever Snowboard Alpine development camp was held in Bansko (BUL), drawing participation from 8 nations—Greece, Hungary, Serbia, Macedonia, Bulgaria, Armenia, Turkey, and Ukraine—with 24 athletes taking part.

The meetings also focused on key areas such as course setting to ensure more exciting future competitions. Further discussions touched on efforts to introduce a second event into the Winter Olympic Games program, with a particular focus on the team event.

Looking ahead, the provisional World Cup calendar for the 2025/26 season has been established, featuring 13 locations across 10 nations. There is hopeful anticipation for the circuit’s return to Asia, with an early season stop planned in China and another in South Korea later in February. This underlines Snowboard Alpine’s global appeal and strategic expansion of its geographical footprint.