Exciting Developments from the FIS Spring Meetings in Portorož

The FIS Spring Meetings took place from May 6th to 8th in Portorož, Slovenia. During this event, committee members from various National Ski Federations convened to explore several proposals that had been prepared in advance.

The Sub-Committees for the World Cup, Continental Cup, and Rules & Control presented noteworthy proposals regarding the World Cup calendar for the 2024/25 season and proposed rule changes. All proposals will require approval from the FIS Council before becoming final.

2024/25 World Cup Calendar
The draft calendar for the upcoming season is now available. It highlights the Nordic World Ski Championships that will occur in Trondheim, along with significant changes in the FIS Tour de Ski.

In an effort to maintain affordability and sustainability in World Cup racing for all stakeholders, the Sub-Committees have adopted a structured approach to the calendar.

Period I
Traditionally, the World Cup season kicks off at Ruka Nordic in Finland, which hosts all three Nordic FIS disciplines: Cross-Country, Ski Jumping, and Nordic Combined. The competition will then move to Lillehammer in Norway before heading to Davos, Switzerland. This season marks the 50th anniversary of Davos Nordic, and the FIS Cross-Country family is gearing up for thrilling night races to celebrate this milestone.

Period II – Tour de Ski
The COOP FIS Tour de Ski, presented by Le Gruyère AOP, is set for a thorough re-evaluation in the coming years. Taking a step toward sustainability, the next Tour will feature seven competition days in the iconic Italian venues of Toblach and Val di Fiemme. A unique "Tre Cime" race course is planned, dependent on sufficient natural snowfall. Another highlight includes the debut of competitions around Lago Tesero on the NEW OLYMPIC COURSES.

Period III
In Period III, the World Cup returns to Les Rousses in France, a venue that enjoyed great success in terms of both athletic performance and spectator turnout two years ago. From there, the competition moves to Engadin in Switzerland, offering a network of scenic Cross-Country courses, before heading to Nove Mesto in the Czech Republic for its first visit in five years. The final preparation before the Nordic World Ski Championships will occur in Falun, Sweden, featuring sprint and interval start events in classic style, along with a mass start in freestyle.

Period IV
The upcoming season's highlight will be the Nordic World Ski Championships, set to occur in Trondheim from February 26 to March 9. Complete information, including ticket sales and schedules, can be found on www.trondheim2025.no.

The World Cup season will conclude with the conventional visit to Oslo's Holmenkollen arena. This year, athletes will compete in a 10 km interval start and a 20 km mass start, a change from the usual 50 km mass start to minimize physical strain on competitors with two consecutive 50 km races following the World Championships.

Additionally, Tallinn, Estonia looks forward to welcoming the World Cup family once again for a grand celebration of Cross-Country skiing, culminating in the season's grand finale in Lahti, Finland. For the first time in 40 years, Lahti will host a 50 km race as a part of the World Cup.