FIS Congress makes World Cup changes
Tue, Jun 14, 2011 - By USSA
Decisions of interest from the FIS Congress meetings held during the FIS meetings that took place in Portoroz, Slovenia June 1-4, 2011.
Here is a summary of the most important approved items affecting cross country skiing:
The race format pursuit (classic & free technique combined race) was renamed to skiathlon in order to distinguish from the handicap races which are a type of a pursuit as well.
To increase the excitement for the spectators in future team sprints, only two teams are directly qualified from the semi-final into the final (until now, three made the direct cut). To complete the field of 10 teams in the final, six teams will earn their spots in the final by their times.
To have always a good starter field in all World Cup competitions, the five best nations (Ranking Team World Cup 2010/11) according to the gender ranking (Top 5 ladies’ teams: Norway, Sweden, Italy, Finland, Poland and top 5 men’s teams: Norway, Russia, Sweden, Switzerland, Italy) have to start in all World Cup competitions during the season 2011/12, except one FIS World Cup weekend.
To have more time to show the best athletes during the interval start, a new starting order for interval start will be tested in the first World Cup event in Beitostoelen (NOR). The 30 best athletes according to the current World Cup standings registered to compete will start in reverse order as the last group according to the current World Cup standings. This follows the current practice, however, registered athletes with the highest FIS points will start set between the seeded group athletes. That means, for example, that with intervals of 30 seconds, between the second best athlete in the World Cup standing and the best athlete in the standing it will be one minute. If the trial works well, FIS will continue in the World Cup season 2011/12 to start interval competitions in the proposed starting order (except interval starts in the stage events).
Click here for the FIS 2012 World Cup Schedule
U.S. Representatives to FIS
- John Farra - FIS Cross Country World Cup & Cross Country Committee
- Bob Gross - FIS Cross Country Rules and Controls, & Popular Cross Country Committee
- Eileen Carey - FIS Ladies Cross Country Committee
- Jeff Byrne - FIS Cross Country Youth & Children Committee