September 14, 2013 – With two and half months left until the kick off of the World Cup season FIS Cross-Country News talked to the FIS Cross-Country Race Director Pierre Mignerey.

Pierre, did you think a lot about snow during the summer?
Pierre Mignerey: Honestly, I didn’t think too much about the snow and that was good. I must say I admire more and more athletes and coaches who are away for training camps during the summer, travel to the Southern Hemisphere, glaciers and ski tunnels to train on the snow. I think many people do not realize the amount of work and the motivation required to ski and perform at the highest level during the winter.

Summer is always the time for summer inspections. Are the World Cup organizing committees ready for the winter season?
PM: We will soon complete our inspection plan. At the end of September we are going to visit World Cup sites in Norway and Sweden.  We could again see that the organizing committees are really motivated and led by passionate people. They are always trying to improve the quality of their events. The OCs are more and more prepared for the summer inspections and it’s getting smoother for us.

There are a few new World Cup venues in the calendar.
PM: Yes that is right. Next winter we will have new organizer in Lenzerheide (SUI) and two venues are back in the calendar after a while, Lillehammer (NOR) and Asiago (ITA).  Last season the newcomers did an excellent job and I have the feeling that it will be also the case this year.

What are the biggest improvements you could see during the summer?
PM: It is difficult to pick just a few. As I have said, the organizing committees are very passionate and enthusiastic. Quite a lot of the World Cup sites have invested in infrastructure. A new stadium and courses have been built in Lillehammer and Lenzerheide, Oberhof has been upgrading the media center, snow production and warm up tracks, Falun will be ready with the new course system, Nove Mesto changed a lot in the last 2 years with the biathlon WSC. Many things are happening at the World Cup venues.

FIS Autumn Meetings are coming closer. What is going to be on the World Cup agenda?
PM: As always many topics will be discussed. To name some, sub-committees for Youth and Children and ladies have been continuously working on developments programs and projects. Roller ski sub-committee will close the 2013 season and start preparing for the next summer season. Rules & Control sub-committee will finalize the rules. Important discussion can be expected at the World and Continental Cup sub-committee. The main task is to discuss long-term calendars until the 2017/18 season. Last but not least we will welcome all the World Cup technical delegates and Choef of Competitions at the annually TD seminar.

You have initiated rules changes in waxing and team facilities last winter. How do you see the development after one year? What are the biggest challenges?
PM: Our basic idea was to divide the team area in three different areas: wax cabins, changing rooms and resting/catering room. The goal is to provide good working and living conditions to the teams (athletes and staff) when they are on site.

The feedback was quite positive after the first season even if it can still be improved. Therefore we have decided in Dubrovnik to improve our rules concerning the wax cabins. We will not anymore allow the use of common waxing buildings or tent. Each team must receive its own space for waxing. We believe that this is an important step forward to provide good working conditions to the servicemen.

Changing areas will also be improved with separate cabins for all the teams. These changes will have an important financial impact but all organizing committees have been working hard on this issue.

Besides the Olympic Winter Games, FIS Tour de Ski will be again a season highlight. What is the biggest news for the next Tour?
PM: The last FIS Tour de Ski was one of the best Tours ever. The upcoming Tour is going to be very similar with two main differences. There will be two Tour stages in Lenzerheide (SUI). We can look forward to a very good track for the Mass Start competition. Secondly the end of the Tour will include a full program of three competition days in a row. It will make the final phase of it even more challenging and important for the overall results on the top of Alpe Cermis.

Anyway, each year the Tour is always  different and interesting. That’s probably one of the reasons why it has become so popular and successful.