Oberhofen, 17th May, 2006 -- More than 950 participants representing 65 National Member Associations, including 64 full voting members, have registered to participate in the 45th International Ski Congress at Vilamoura/Algarve, Portugal, scheduled from 21st to 27th May, 2006.

This is the first International Ski Congress ever held in Portugal, taking place on the invitation of the Portuguese Ski Association. In addition to the various FIS Committee meetings held during the Congress week, the FIS Council will convene from 22nd - 25th May and the FIS Congress (General Assembly) on 26th May.

The organizers of the FIS Ski Flying World Championships 2010 and the 2011 FIS Alpine, Nordic, Freestyle Skiing and Snowboard World Championships will be elected by the FIS Council at its meeting on Thursday, 25th May, where the candidates will have an opportunity to deliver their final presentations. The announcement of the elected organizers will take place at the Hotel Marinotel in Vilamoura at approximately 18:00 CET.

Other items on the agenda of the FIS Council Meetings include the approval of the FIS World Cup calendars for the upcoming 2006-2007 season as well as other proposals submitted by the Technical Committees following their meetings earlier in the week. The main work of the Council will focus on the Congress Agenda in order to deliver its opinion to the Member Associations on the various proposals.

Representing the highest authority within FIS, the FIS Congress will take place on Friday, 26th May. It will review the business reports of the Council, the accounts and reports of the auditors, approve the budget, elect the FIS Council for the next two-year period and the President for the next four-year period, and decide on the proposals submitted by the Member Associations and the Council.

The 44th International Ski Congress was held in May 2004 in Miami, Florida (USA).The 46th International Ski Congress will be held in Cape Town (RSA) in the spring of 2008.

The candidates as organizers of the 2010 FIS Ski Flying World Championships and the 2011 FIS Alpine, Nordic, Freestyle and Snowboard World Championships are:

Candidate for the FIS Ski Flying World Ski Championships 2010

Planica (SLO)

Candidates for the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships 2011 (in alphabetical order)

Garmisch-Partenkirchen (GER)
Schladming (AUT)

Candidates for the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 2011 (in alphabetical order)

Oslo (NOR)
Val di Fiemme (ITA)
Zakopane (POL)

Candidate for the FIS Freestyle World Championships 2011

Deer Valley (USA)

Candidate for the FIS Snowboard World Championships 2011

Spain