The 46th International Ski Congress has concluded successfully in Cape Town (RSA). In its first meeting following election at the General Assembly, the new FIS Council elected its vice presidents and treasurer, and appointed the chairmen and members of the FIS Committees for the upcoming two-year period (2008-2010).

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Decisions of the 46th International Ski Congress in Cape Town (RSA)

Cape Town, May 30th, 2008 – Conscious of the importance of its deliberations for the future development of the sport of skiing, the 46th International Ski Congress, convening in Cape Town, South Africa, has made the following decisions:

Election of FIS Council for 2008-2010

The following were elected to the FIS Council for the upcoming two-year period, 2008-2010:
Jaakko Holkeri (FIN) – 107 votes
Yoshiro Ito (JPN) – 109 votes
Milan Jirasek (CZE) – 77 votes
Janez Kocijancic (SLO) – 100 votes
Sung-Won Lee (KOR) – 104 votes
Bill Marolt (USA) – 105 votes
Alain Methiaz (FRA, new) – 88 votes
Giovanni Morzenti (ITA, new) – 84 votes
Eduardo Roldan (SPA) – 91 votes
Pablo Rosenkjer (ARG) – 98 votes
Sverre Seeberg (NOR) – 111 votes
Patrick Smith (CAN) – 112 votes
Carl Eric Stålberg (SWE) – 109 votes
Leonid Tyagachev (RUS) – 104 votes
Fritz Wagnerberger (GER) – 104 votes
Werner Woerndle (AUT, new) – 92 votes

(The maximum number of votes available: 112)

Financial and administrative decisions

• Unanimous adoption the new World Anti-Doping Code and International Standards for Testing that were approved by the sports movement and governments at the World Anti-Doping Conference in November 2007. The new code will be valid globally from 1st January 2009.

• Unanimous adoption of new regulations in regard to a change of license. According to which an athlete 1) must possess the citizenship and passport of the country they wish to compete for, 2) must have their principal legal and effective place of residence in that country immediately prior to the date of request expect where the athlete is born in the territory of the new country or whose mother or father is a national of the new country. However the FIS Council reserves the right at its discretion to grant or not to grant the request of license given exceptional circumstances (such as refugee status).

• Acceptance of a modernized common approach, in the form of revised rules in the FIS International Competition Rules (ICR) - Rules 208 and 209, concerning electronic media including television, radio and the new media on a trial basis for a duration of two years. An international working group will be nominated to observe the implementation of the revised rules and evaluate further revisions especially in regard to the new media during the trial period.

• Commissioning of FIS to negotiate marketing and sponsoring agreements for the timing and data inserts for the FIS Alpine World Cup by 2010, for which any income will be provided to the National Ski Associations and their Organizers.

• Affiliation of Montenegro, Serbia, Lesotho and Malta as Associated Members bringing the total FIS membership to 110 members. Kosovo's affiliation is pending recognition of the state by the United Nations. In the meantime, participation of their skiers is permitted at FIS/level and children's races. The membership of the Grenada International Sports Foundation, already suspended by decision of the FIS Council as of 17th November 2006, was suspended indefinitely.

• Approval of financial accounts for the two-year time period 2006-2008, with the best financial results in FIS history.

• Award of total of CHF 21.25 million in direct support from FIS to the member National Ski Associations during the 2008-09 financial period, comprising of a special distribution from the result of the 2006-07 period of CHF 11.25 million and National Ski Association financial support for the 2008-09 period of CHF 10 million.

• Appointment of Geoff Henke (AUS) as Honorary Member of FIS.

The FIS Congress also discussed FIS's plans for a multi-year international campaign entitled “Bring Children to Snow” designed to generate passion for snow activities among the younger generations. The marketing and activity campaign will be focused on enabling and enhancing the family experience in the snow and with snow activities, together with partners from various sectors including but not limited to the sports movement, ski industry, ski tourism, tourism associations, non-governmental and governmental organizations.

On an equally important topic on the FIS agenda, the Congress reviewed and discussed FIS's activities in regard to the environment and its engagement for the long-term sustainability of the ski sports.

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Decisions of the FIS Council at the 46th International Ski Congress in Cape Town (RSA) - Alpine Skiing

Cape Town, June 2nd , 2008 – The following items or amendments related to Alpine Skiing have been approved by the FIS Council in its meetings at Cape Town (RSA):

FIS Alpine World Cup Calendars for the Season 2008/2009 (see here for ladies and for men)

At the 2009 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships in Val d'Isère (FRA), qualification races will be held in the men's giant slalom and slalom events. The best 50 competitors present will qualify directly to the 75-competitor final. In the second run, only the best 30 racers will compete.

A promotional event will be organized in Moscow on the premises of the local university on 22nd November 2008. This event is specifically designed to stimulate interest for Alpine Skiing as part of the build up to Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games. The biggest ramp ever will be built in Moscow and the best 10 male ranked slalom racers, 4 invited racers and 2 host nation racers will participate in an invitational parallel slalom. This race is not part of the FIS Alpine World Cup.

At the Continental Cup level, the overall winner of the Alpine Continental Cup series will be awarded a personal starting place in the FIS Alpine World Cup for the following season.

As from the 2009/2010 season, 500 rather than 400 World Cup points will be required for automatic qualification for all events.

The tolerance time for skis and boots was extended at FIS and ENL level races (new rules were strictly applied to World Cup level from the 2007/08 season and will apply to Continental Cup level as of 2008/09 season).

Please also note that according to the ICR art. 219.1, the prize money for the upcoming 2008-2009 season has been confirmed by the FIS Council in its November 2007 meeting. For Alpine events the amounts will be the following:

Minimum cash prize per World Cup event (men & ladies): CHF 100'000 (divided between 1-10)
Minimum cash prize for European Cup events (men & ladies): CHF 2'300 (divided between 1-10)

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Promotional event for FIS Alpine World Cup in Moscow (RUS)

Meeting in Cape Town, the FIS Council approved the plans for the organization of a World Cup promotional event in Moscow on 22nd November 2008. This event, to be staged against the imposing backdrop of the local university, is specifically designed to stimulate interest for Alpine Skiing as part of the build up to the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games. The biggest ramp ever will be built in Moscow and the best 10 male ranked slalom racers, 4 racers invited by the organizers and 2 host nation racers will participate in a parallel slalom. While prize money will be available, this race is however not part of the FIS Alpine World Cup nor will World Cup or FIS points be awarded.

“This city event in Moscow is an outstanding opportunity for Alpine Skiing. Given the great Snowboard big air and Freestyle aerials events held at the same spot with more than 30'000 spectators, we were very pleased to accept the offer by the Russian Ski Association to organize a promotional slalom event,” commented Günter Hujara, FIS Chief Race Director for the men's Alpine World Cup. “It will be a great combination of sport and show, and a real chance to bring Alpine Skiing into the city. At the same time, it will be a great opportunity for the organizers to gain experience on the way to Sochi."

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First season of the LG FIS Snowboard World Cup

Several amendments were also made to the Snowboarding rules in Cape Town (RSA). Those approved by the FIS Council included adjustments to the start gates, specifications for resolving ties in the parallel event qualification as well as changes to the competition format of the big air finals.

The upcoming season will be the first one under the new title sponsor, LG Electronics of Korea, which succeeds Nokia as the world-wide patron of the FIS Snowboard World Cup. The calendar for the 2008/09 season are already starting in early September with the second-ever half-pipe meet in Cardrona (NZE). The tour then will pay its historical first visit to a site in Argentina, in Chapelco, where a series of two snowboard cross competitions will take place on 12th-13th September. Back in Europe, the parallel season will again kick off indoors in Landgraaf (NED), which is followed by the big air season opening in another new venue: London!

Yet another new name on the LG Snowboard FIS World Cup calendar is Grenoble in France, ready to stage a city big air. Other calendar highlights include the first test events at the 2010 Olympic venue at Cypress Mountain in West Vancouver along with the hosts of the 2011 and 2013 FIS Snowboard World Championships, La Molina (SPA) and Stoneham, Quebec (CAN). Last but surely not least, the schedule for the 2009 FIS Snowboard World Championships in Sungwoo, Gangwon Province (KOR) was confirmed as from 17th-24th January 2009; for details, see here.

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Lahti, Willingen and Klingenthal media’s Nordic favorites

Every season, Forum Nordicum, an association of Nordic sports journalists, makes an assessment at each Nordic and Biathlon World Cup venue and awards the honor of the most ‘media-friendly' World Cup host per discipline. This year's winners in the FIS Nordic disciplines are the two German World Cup venues Willingen - for Ski Jumping - and Klingenthal – for Nordic Combined - along with the Finnish World Cup host city of Lahti for Cross-Country.

The top three in the Nordic categories for the 2007/2008 season were:

Cross-Country: 1st Lahti (FIN), 2nd Canmore (CAN), 3rd Falun (SWE)
Ski Jumping: 1st Willingen (GER), 2nd Val di Fiemme (ITA), 3rd Engelberg (SUI) & Lahti (FIN)
Nordic Combined: 1st Klingenthal (GER), 2nd Val di Fiemme (ITA), 3rd Lahti (FIN)

“First of all, I would like to congratulate the winners on behalf of Forum Nordicum for their excellent work for the media. We can see that this evaluation helps to develop our working conditions,” noted Uwe Jentzsch, Chairman of Forum Nordicum, and added: “The award for the most media-friendly venue should be an incentive and help the hosts continue to improve the working conditions for on-site media in the long-term.”

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Small crystal globe for Ski Flying World Cup ranking

For Ski Jumping, the Cape Town Congress Week delivered the confirmation of the introduction of a small crystal globe for a separate Ski Flying ranking at the end of the World Cup season. A total of seven individual Ski Flying competitions are planned next season.

Another novelty on the Ski Jumping World Cup calendar is the so-called FIS Team Tour in Germany. This series of five events at three venues (Willingen, Klingenthal and Oberstdorf) includes three individual competitions (including two Ski Flying events) and two team events with a special Team ranking denoted by an additional €100'000. Overall, next season's calendar includes six team competitions in addition to the one held as part of the 2009 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in Liberec (CZE).

Further changes to Ski Jumping, as approved by the FIS Council, included revisions to the standards for jumping hill construction, notably for the preparation of the in-run, some adaptations to the rules for ski jumping suits as well as for the reimbursement of team expenses.

Hofer concluded: “The increase in the number of team competitions next season as well as the introduction of the FIS Team Tour is in reaction to public interest and several requests by the teams and organizers. We look forward to the fans' response.”

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Changes for Nordic Combined

Concerning Nordic Combined, the Congress week in Cape Town brought about a few changes, notably the revision of the organization of the Nordic Combined discipline.

The focus of the changes will be on making Nordic Combined more spectacular and media friendly, and more easily understandable. To lead the revision process, the FIS Council appointed Walter Hofer as head of Nordic Combined, as well as of Ski Jumping.

As a first step, there will be a test phase of the proposed competition format for Nordic Combined comprised of one jump followed by a 10 km cross-country race. The test events will be held in Hinterzarten (GER) on 26th July, in Oberstdorf (GER) on 29th July and in Einsiedeln (SUI) on 1st August. After a thorough analysis by experts and the National Ski Associations after this series, a final decision about the competition format for the next World Cup season will be taken at the FIS Autumn meetings of the Technical Committees and the FIS Council.

Additional changes that have already been confirmed include the level below the FIS World Cup becoming Continental Cup instead of World Cup B. These events will be organized in conjunction with the men's and ladies' Ski Jumping Continental Cup series wherever possible. This will enable sharing of infrastructure and create organizational efficiencies.
The only change to the program for the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 2009 in Liberec will be the inclusion of the 10 km distance for the Cross-Country Skiing in the Nordic Combined competition.

Walter Hofer commented: “This reorganization is a unique opportunity for Nordic Combined. The discipline has great potential which we can exploit by simplifying the rules and competition formats. By staging the Nordic Combined World Cup events together with Ski Jumping wherever possible we also have the opportunity to realize many synergies for the organizers, the spectators and the media. In a few years' time, we hope to have increased the popularity of both disciplines significantly.”

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City events in trend in Freestyle Skiing

For Freestyle Skiing, several items or amendments were approved by the FIS Council in its meetings at Cape Town (RSA).

One of the most important ones is the approval of the FIS Freestyle World Cup calendar for the 2008/2009 season (see under Freestyle/World Cup). Of particular note is that the Freestyle FIS World Cup continues to expand to new nations and venues. Five of the 17 locations on the schedule are new locations, including Meribel (FRA), St. Johann (AUT), Myrkdalen (Voss, NOR), Kiev (UKR) and Branäs (SWE). Ukraine is about to organize its first ever FIS World Cup event.

City competitions are also in trend this coming season, with both an aerial and dual mogul events to be held in Moscow or St. Petersburg (RUS), and an aerial World Cup competition to be held in Kiev (UKR). These competitions are held on large, specially constructed ramps in the respective city centers.

To further develop ski cross, the latest addition to the program of the Olympic Winter Games, refinements to the rules included definitions of the course parameters, the setting of FIS points levels to establish national quotas, changes to the way the colored bibs are determined for the finals, and the measurement and display of the athletes reaction time at the start gate.

From the 2008/2009 season, either 100 FIS Alpine points or 40 Freestyle FIS Points as base qualification levels with 100 Freestyle FIS Points for additional participants will determine the national qualifications.

The tolerance for the measurement of the skis and boots was extended for FIS Freestyle competitions. The standards will remain the same as last season, with 50mm for the binding and plate system and 45mm for the ski boots.

The schedule for the 2009 FIS Freestyle World Championships in Inawashiro was also finalized.

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List of FIS Committee appointments

The 46th International Ski Congress has concluded successfully in Cape Town (RSA). In its first meeting following election at the General Assembly, the new FIS Council elected its vice presidents and treasurer, and appointed the chairmen and members of the FIS Committees for the upcoming two-year period (2008-2010).

Among them are some of the members of Bulgarian Ski Federation:

Tzeko MINEV (Conference of SUB-COMMITTEE FOR THE ALPINE WORLD CUP)

Georgi BOBEV (Member of SUB-COMMITTEE FOR EUROPEAN CUP)

Pepa MITZEVA (Member of SUB-COMMITTEE FOR LADIES’ ALPINE SKIING)

Peter ZOGRAFOV (Conference of CROSS-COUNTRY COMMITTEE, Member of SUB-COMMITTEE CROSS-COUNTRY FOR RULES AND CONTROL, Member of SUB-COMMITTEE FOR POPULAR CROSS-COUNTRY)

Petar POPANGELOV (Conference of COMMITTEE FOR ALPINE SKIING)

Valentin GITCHEV (Inspectors and Controllers in SUB-COMMITTEE FOR ALPINE COURSES)

Mila ANDREEVA (Member of SUB-COMMITTEE FOR ALPINE YOUTH & CHILDREN’S QUESTIONS, Conference of COMMITTEE FOR RECREATIONAL SKIING)

Ivo TZEKOV (Member of COMMITTEE FOR ADVERTISING MATTERS, Member of COMMITTEE FOR PUBLIC RELATIONS AND MASS MEDIA)

Ivaylo DERMENDJIEV (Member of FIS COURT)

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The 47th International Ski Congress will take place in Antalya (TUR) in spring 2010.

FIS news
30.05.-06.06.2008