July 24, 2008 – For the first time, the Ski Jumpers will receive company from their colleagues in Nordic Combined who will also stage the first competition of the Nordic Combined Summer Grand Prix in Hinterzarten this week. Following many discussions and analysis in the course of the spring months, at its Meeting in Cape Town (RSA) in May, the FIS Council appointed Walter Hofer to define a strategy for modernizing the discipline of Nordic Combined. The main objective is to simplify the sport and its competition formats.

The main change proposed as of the coming FIS World Cup season is that Nordic Combined competitions will be carried out with competitions consisting of one jump followed by a 10km Cross-Country race in the individual events.

The FIS Nordic Combined Summer Grand Prix, beginning in Hinterzarten (GER) on Saturday, 26th July, will also include competitions in Oberstdorf (GER) on 28th July and Einsiedeln (SUI) on 1st August. After this test phase, feedback will be collected from the teams and National Ski Associations in order for the final decisions to be taken in the FIS Autumn Meetings in Zürich in October and by the FIS Council in its next meeting in November 2008.