March 20, 2009 – The International Ski Federation (FIS) has made the unprecedented decision to award North America permanent calendar dates on the World Cup (WC) circuit through to 2013. This landmark decision recognizes the growing reputation Canada in particular has for hosting quality events, on technically challenging trails, with reliable snow conditions, with highly trained volunteers and in world class facilities.

Canada has built its reputation through its early hosting efforts with the Olympics in 1988, followed by the World Cup events in the early 90s and the World Nordic Championships in 1995. Showing that Canada continues to meet the changing needs of the World Cup Circuit, the 2005 and 2008 World Cups solidified the country’s international reputation. Coupled with the inroads that Canada has made on the high performance front, Canada has signalled that it has earned a place as a serious ‘cross country ski’ presence. With a refurbished 1988 Olympic site in Canmore and Canada’s newest 2010 venue, Whistler Olympic Park, along with growing interest in eastern Canada to host WCs, Canada is well positioned to meet this challenge.

This recent FIS decision effectively doubles the number of Canada’s opportunities to host World Cup events in the future. Since 2004, overseas nations (which include Canada) were positioned to only host a WC every two years. Canada has been approved by the FIS Council to be on the WC circuit in future years for every three out of each four year block. The original request was for one permanent calendar date (the equivalent of one weekend of racing). As outlined below, Canada received more than it had asked for in terms of the number of WC hosting opportunities.

The WC Sub-Committee of the FIS Cross Country Committee made it clear that the major teams were only interested in coming to Canada if it was for more than one weekend of racing. The resulting proposal from the Committee’s deliberations offered Canada the following model which essentially commits to having Canada as a multiple stop on the world cup circuit 3 out of every 4 years:

– Season 2011-12 – 3rd week of February – one full week and 2 weekends following a Tour de Ski concept
– Season 2012-13 – Two back to back weekends in December – weekend #2 and #3 in different locations with potential for a mid-week option if the sites are in good proximity
– Season 2013-14 – Olympic year – no WCs in Canada
– Season 2014-15 – Two back to back weekends in December – weekend #2 and #3 in different locations with potential for a mid-week option if the sites are in good proximity
– Season 2015-16 – Potential to repeat the 3rd week of February – Tour de Ski concept

The FIS Council has approved this model through to 2013. The possibility of continuing this model past 2013 clearly rests in our hands. We would need to demonstrate that we can deliver these additional World Cups at the same high standards that has been established by our most recent organizing committees: Alberta World Cup Society, Canmore, Sovereign Lake Nordic, Vernon and VANOC at Whistler Olympic Park.

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