World Cup skiers rake in the cash

Mon, May  3, 2010 - By FIS

With the prize money for the Tour de Ski and for the overall World Cup ranking that was awarded for the third time, the top Cross-Country athletes earned good money this season and are on par with the top stars in the other FIS disciplines.

Justyna Kowalcyzk earned 366'250 CHF (Swiss Francs; 1 CHF = 0.92 US dollars as of today = $338.150), which ranked her second in the overall FIS prize money rankings for the season 2009/2010, just behind the Alpine dominator Lindsey Vonn, who collected whopping 492'450 CHF. In third position overall is another lady: Maria Riesch (Alpine Skiing; 356'200 CHF) who is followed by the best rewarded man, Didier Cuche (SUI), (Alpine Skiing; 334'850 CHF). Cuche leads the men's ranking ahead of Cross-Country star Petter Northug. The 24-year-old Norwegian finished the season by winning 321'500 CHF prize money.

Marit Bjoergen (NOR, 207'250 CHF) and Lukas Bauer (CZE, 231'125 CHF) are also ranked in the top ten of the prize money ranking whilst this year no Ski Jumping athlete made it to the Top Ten due to the new prize money rules, where the money is divided among the Top 30 and not just the Top Ten as was the case in the past.

Overview FIS World Cup prize money ranking:

1. Lindsey Vonn (USA), Alpine Skiing - CHF 492'450
2. Justyna Kowalczyk (POL), Cross-Country Skiing - CHF 366‘250
3. Maria Riesch (GER), Alpine Skiing - CHF 356'200
4. Didier Cuche (SUI), Alpine Skiing - CHF 334'850
5. Petter Northug (NOR), Cross-Country Skiing - CHF 321'500
6. Carlo Janka (SUI), Alpine Skiing - CHF 305'673
7. Kathrin Zettel (AUT), Alpine Skiing - CHF 272'200
8. Lukas Bauer (CZE), Cross-Country Skiing - CHF 213‘125
9. Marit Bjoergen (NOR), Cross-Country Skiing - CHF 207‘250
10. Benjamin Raich (AUT), Alpine Skiing - CHF 206'775