Before the calendar presentation: Emotions run high in the ski circus

The 2022/23 Alpine World Cup calendar will also be fixed on Wednesday as part of the International Ski Federation (FIS) congress in Milan. There is currently a lot of uncertainty about what this should look like. A paper presented for discussion caused emotions to run high in many national associations. Christian Scherer, the general secretary of the Austrian Ski Association (ÖSV), is therefore expecting “heated discussions”, but in the end also with a confirmed schedule. “There has to be a final decision. “But it’s irritating how some nations are already communicating that they have more races,” said Scherer, who hopes that the planned two overseas trips to North America, for example, will not take place. On the one hand, that would be completely contrary to the FIS President's manifesto with CO2 avoidance and optimization of travel routes, as Scherer noted in an online media discussion, but on the other hand it would also be “a Herculean task in terms of budget”. The fact that Saalbach-Hinterglemm, the 2025 World Cup host, will lose the men's race to Garmisch-Partenkirchen at the end of January 2023 has caused excitement in Austria in recent days. The women's races offered for this are not an option for Salzburg and the ÖSV because the women's World Cup course will not be ready yet. “This weekend we also have (Nordic/note) World Cups in Seefeld and Kulm, so we already have two highlights at the end of January. From the point of view of the ÖSV and the local organizers, it only makes sense at this time if it is a World Cup test. We would have done the men as a World Cup test.” “Whether that’s good for the sport remains to be seen.” ÖSV General Secretary Christian Scherer on 13 World Cup races The FIS has assured us that there will be enough test competitions in Saalbach-Hinterglemm in the following calendar 2023/24. “That is the top priority, whether it is in the form of a final or weekends,” explained Scherer. A final as a comprehensive World Cup dress rehearsal is preferred over individual events because the logistics can be better simulated on and off the mountain. “The objective is: important findings for the World Cup. But a final is very often spring skiing, you need nice weather, which carries a certain risk. If there are attractive opportunities during the season, we are open to it.” When are the new competitions coming? Scherer does not believe that the new disciplines or combinations of speed and technical competitions planned by the new FIS President Johan Eliasch will be held next winter. “There are no regulations for this, the objective is not clear. Odermatt ( the Swiss overall World Cup winner Marco Odermatt/note. ) would be forced to also do slaloms. These are things that suggest that the concept is not fully developed. It would be a surprise if the board negated the opinion of the committee and experts.” An evaluation of parallel races and combinations had already been announced after the 2019 World Cup in Aare, but never took place. “At the 2023 World Cup in Meribel/Courchevel there are again 13 races in two weeks on the program, whether that is good for the sport remains to be seen. Our wish for Saalbach is eleven races, whether with parallel or combination it doesn’t matter,” said Scherer.

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Before the calendar presentation: Emotions run high in the ski circus

The calendar for the 2022/23 Ski World Cup will be presented in Milan on Wednesday. Before that, however, there are heated discussions. There is a lot of head shaking, especially in Austria.

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