Rio or Dubai? - FIS Boss Aims to Revolutionize Ski Jump World Cup

Rio or Dubai? - FIS-Boss will Skisprung-Weltcup revolutionieren
The ski jumpers have been in the spotlight following their achievements at the Four Hills Tournament. FIS Race Director Sandro Pertile seized the opportunity during the finals in Bischofshofen to share his vision for the future of the sport. According to Pertile, several World Cup locations could face cuts as part of these changes.

... Women's Prize Money:
We are aware of the gap between men's and women's events and are working to close it. However, it is currently challenging to finance women's competitions. We aim to improve further.

... Development of Women's Events:
Since last spring, the FIS has chosen a new strategy. Our clear goal is to connect men and women as quickly as possible. While it is easier to plan on paper, it sometimes takes time. This season has been planned for a long time, and we are now working on the next season. Our plan is to consolidate both categories by the 2026/27 season.

... Implications of Integration:
A significant increase in women's events is desired. We may also consider a new format. The world is evolving rapidly, and now is perhaps the time to rethink our event formats. A hot topic is the normal hills. When merging men and women, the focus would be on large hills. It will be challenging to keep normal hills in the calendar. However, we recognize their importance for younger generations and want to innovate for junior events while supporting existing organizations.

... Globalization of the Sport:
We aim for a more global presence. If we want to grow at this level, we need to enter big markets like the USA and China. Hopefully, we can return to Russia soon.

... Loss of Smaller Hills as World Cup Venues:
This topic is significant for us. We want to offer something new for normal hills. However, if you ask both men and women if they prefer to jump on a ski flying hill or a K100 hill, I would expect 90% to say they want to fly. Larger hills are more appealing. My wish would be for a world league for our juniors on normal hills.

... Feedback from World Cup Organizers at Smaller Hills Like Villach or Hinzenbach:
My colleague Chika Yoshida has spoken with all the organizing committees, and the message about integrating men and women has been received. If I lose a World Cup, I am, of course, dissatisfied, but we must consider the international perspective. Sometimes decisions must be made.

... Enhancing Entertainment at World Cup Events:
We are often viewed as an evening event. In the future, we might plan laser shows. Music will play a crucial role in this. We had many young viewers during this tournament, and ski jumping remains engaging. This is key to the future of our sport.

... Events in Rio or Dubai:
Pertile showed a three-minute video illustrating how a mobile hill could be erected. He expressed that what viewers see is a dream. It takes time to realize a dream. We should evaluate such structures to enable the sport to travel worldwide. We are attractive enough that we can represent our beautiful sport globally, regardless of location.