The 2011 FIS Autumn Technical Committee Meetings were held in Zürich (SUI) from 4th- 9th October. More than 500 participants from the extended FIS Family convened for more than 70 meetings, workshops and seminars during the week. A short summary of the main topics that were discussed in the main discipline committees is included below.

Alpine Skiing: Including the athletes

The Autumn Meetings for Alpine Skiing traditionally feature official meetings of the main Committee and its various Sub-Committees as well as working groups for the World Cup coaches (ladies and men), Timing and Data as well as Alpine Competition Equipment. This year, the major topics of discussion included the changes to the race skis from season 2012/13 on which a detailed information session was hosted, and the future strategy for super combined.

The Alpine Executive Board also discussed the involvement of athletes in the decision-making processes and thereafter the Alpine Committee has submitted the two proposals for consideration by the FIS Council Meeting to nominate an elected member of the FIS Athletes’ Commission, who is also an active competitor, as a member of the Executive Board of the FIS Alpine Committee; as well as the inclusion of an athletes’ representative, representing the majority of the athletes participating in the event and named from among the top 15 competitors participating, as the liaison to be in direct contact with the Competition Jury regarding proposals and requests on training and race days, or after training runs.

Additionally, small adaptations to the rules regarding the start position for competitors returning from injury, specifications for gate panels and the World Cup entry processes will be submitted to the Council.

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Snowboard: Long-term strategies

With the first LG FIS Snowboard World Cup in the Northern Hemisphere for the 2011/12 season starting today, long-term strategies were key topics during the Snowboard Committee meeting in Zürich. Basic discussions about reviewing the three groups of events Snowboard Alpine, Snowboard Cross and Snowboard Freestyle were held.

Harmonising of rules between common Snowboard and Freestyle competitions such as skicross and snowboardcross, snowboard halfpipe and ski halfpipe and snowboard slopestyle and freestyle ski slopestyle were discussed.  Furthermore, the last few details relating to the LG FIS Snowboard World Cup calendar 2011/12 were approved as well as the updated 2012/13 calendar.

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Cross-Country: Exciting season ahead

Six weeks before the season begins in Beitostølen (NOR), the various FIS Cross-Country Committees and Sub-Committees discussions in Zurich last weekend focused on the calendars for the next four seasons along with some minor rule changes.

In addition to the rules confirmed last spring, a new idea coming out of the Autumn Meetings features concerns the intermediate bonus seconds and bonus World Cup points in mass start events. The proposal sent to the FIS Council suggests that the first 10 athletes crossing the intermediate sprint point will be awarded with points as opposed to just the top three, already from the upcoming season.

In terms of the FIS Cross-Country World Cup calendar, the Viessmann FIS Tour de Ski 2011/12 will definitely be the season highlight. With 9 competitions in 11 days it see the world's best Cross-Country athletes tough battle to anoint their King and Queen. Otherwise, the 2011/12 season will feature both comebacks and a debutant. Milano (ITA) will host a FIS Cross-Country World Cup sprint weekend for the first time since 1998 whilst Moscow too will return after a long break of 12 years. Meanwhile Nove Mesto (CZE) is back in the FIS Cross-Country World Cup after a break of three years. The newcomer on the calendar is Poland with Szklarska Poreba.

Contributed by Michal Lamplot

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Ski Jumping: New nations and organizers

For the first time, the Sub-Committee for Equipment and Development had a meeting during the FIS Autumn meetings to resume the last decade of rule changes to competition equipment, and to set up a long-term strategy. Third parties like ski manufacturers and binding producers were invited, in order to get a comprehensive input and overview. After a thoroughly discussion, a mutual procedure for the decision finding process was agreed.

After the conclusion of a very successful summer competition series, the Jumping Committee mainly dealt with the long-term calendars until the competition season 2013/14, and with the final set-up for the upcoming winter season. New nations and Organizers applied for inclusion in future competition calendars. With great expectations, the first ever season for the FIS Ski Jumping World Cup for Ladies was in focus as well. A large number of guests from various organizers and NSA´s were present, and showed great public interest of the discipline. Furthermore, Ski Flying will carry the mantle as the only FIS World Ski Championships  in the upcoming competition season, with the FIS World Ski Flying Championship taking place in Vikersund February 2012.

Contributed by Walter Hofer

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Nordic Combined: Full calendars ahead

Having seen a limited number of World Cup events last season, the FIS Nordic Combined Committee has planned an interesting season with 27 individual World Cup events at 13 locations in 8 different countries for 2011/12. Full World Cup calendars are also planned for both the 2012/13 and 2013/14 seasons.

In the autumn Nordic Combined Committee meeting, further proposals for the coming season were made, among them the new “Penalty Race” format where the following rules were proposed: A jump followed by a 10 km Cross-Country race over a 2 x 5,0 km loop. The first ever Penalty Race to be held in Lillehammer on 3rd December 2011 and  the Nordic Combined Committee proposes Zakopane and Liberec as two additional Organizers to host the Penalty Races already this season and thereby broaden the test.

For the upcoming FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 2013 in Val di Fiemme, the team sprint format is proposed instead of a second team event.

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Freestyle Skiing: New formats

After the development of the 2020 Vision Plan for the 2010 Autumn Meetings in Zurich, the Freestyle Skiing Committee continues to focus on making the five Freestyle Skiing events more interesting and easier to understand for the fans, through the competition formats.

The recent addition of ski halfpipe and ski slopestyle to the Olympic program has created another new focus for the Committee as it begins to prepare details of the courses and schedules for these new events. After agreeing the principles of a new format for moguls and aerials last spring, the details were worked out over the summer and after further refinements at the meeting, the Committee agreed to submit the new formats and competition system for the FIS World Cup, World Championships and Olympic Winter Games to the Council. The main changes occur in the final phases of the competition, where several rounds are held with smaller and smaller groups.

Joe Fitzgerald, FIS Freestyle Skiing Coordinator explained. "There will be a series of elimination rounds, where a decreasing number of competitors qualify to the next round. Finally, we end up with just the best four competitors, but because just three competitors will be on the podium, the last 10 minutes of the competition in the final round will be the most decisive. The emotions will increase run after run on the mogul slope, or jump after jump in aerials. The fans will see the best competitors ski another run or a jump again, and the competitors will need to try and improve on their performance from the previous round every time. It is head to head competition, with one competitor on the course at a time, similar to the format successfully used in Ski Jumping at the four hills tournament."

Contributed by Sofie Torlei Olsen

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84'500 Swiss Francs to Right To Play from FIS Hilton Charity Gala

Last Saturday, 8th October, saw the Hilton Charity Gala take place, organized in partnership among Hotel Hilton Zurich Airport, FIS and Right To Play.The evening was a great success and raised a total donation of CHF 84'500 for the FIS partner charity, Right To Play.

Guests enjoyed a high class 5 course dinner and were treated to a highly entertaining evening led by Markus Othmer, a well-known German TV and event moderator. Marco Büchel, former top athlete and a Right To Play Athlete Ambassador, joined him during the auction and together they led the fund-raising auction.

There were a number of exclusive ‘money can't buy‘ items such as a 2-day ski touring trip with Bernhard Russi, a day of skiing with Aksel Lund Svindal, another Right To Play athlete ambassador, which alone raised CHF 20'000, a private clinic and round of golf with Swiss golf champion Nora Angehrn, a pair of Didier Defago's downhill skis, skis signed by Dario Cologna and Carlo Janka, and many more exciting items. Guests who bought tombola tickets took home great prizes ranging from a helicopter ride to exclusive sport items, Audi test drives and Hilton weekend packages in Rome, Munich and Evian.

Special thanks belong to the Hilton suppliers who contributed significantly by donating food and beverages, as well as to the dedicated Hilton team which worked on a voluntary basis during the evening. A special mention should also be made to all the other companies who kindly donated items for the tombola and auction snabling such a significant amount to be raised for Right To Play.

FIS, Right To Play and the Hilton Zurich Airport, would also like to thank all guests for having made this charity gala such an unforgettable event. The overall target for the charity was exceeded by far and will go directly to support many vulnerable children and youth. When children play, the world wins!

Contributed by Edwina Fordyce

FISnews.com
11-13.10.2011