May 10, 2012 – Here is the latest news from FIS, including information about elections, Ladies Seminar at the 2012 FIS Congress, FIS Congress travel information, and Swiss ski legend Karl Molitor’s upcoming biography.

FIS Council Elections
The 48th International Ski Congress will elect the sixteen members of the FIS Council for the next two-year period from 2012-2014. By the statutory deadline of 1st May 2012, the member National Ski Associations have proposed 19 candidates for membership in the FIS Council. Read more HERE.

FIS Congress 3rd Ladies Seminar
The 3rd FIS Ladies Seminar on the subject of “Women and Health” will take place on Monday, 28th May 2012 as part of the 2012 FIS Congress in Kangwonland and is open to all FIS Congress participants. The program will focus on Medical Issues in Female Sport. Read more HERE.

Travel Info for FIS Congress Participants
In just few weeks, some 800 participants will make their way to Korea for the 48th International Ski Congress from 27th May until 2nd June 2012. A welcome reception by the Korean Ski Association on Monday, 27th May, 19:00 at the Kangwonland Hotel will mark the official opening of the week which promises to be a fantastic occasion for the worldwide FIS family. Read more HERE.

Swiss Ski Legend Visits Oberhofen – Biography Out This Summer
The famous Swiss ski legend Karl Molitor (born 29th June 1920) recently visited the FIS Headquarters in Oberhofen to exchange views on his biography with FIS President Gian Franco Kasper. The biography will appear in print by the end of June 2012. Read more HERE.

June 09, 2011 (Salt Lake City, UT) – Following the the FIS and USSA Congress in May, several updates have been introduced for the 2012 season. The Cross Country Sport Committee has approved the following amendments:

Adjust the USSA NRL points to match FIS points more accurately by taking the average of the:

a. top 10 U.S. athletes differentials (difference between USSA & FIS points) for each list, to create a modifier for both distance points lists (men’s and women’s), and the

b. top 5 U.S. athletes differentials to create a modifier for the sprint points lists.

The plan involves adjusting the USSA NRL points list annually at minimum (each summer), but it was the wish of the committee to adjust each points list throughout the season.

A Technical Committee was named to oversee this process with the USSA Competition Services Dept annually: August Teague (Chair), Pat Cote, John Estle, Ernie Page and the USSA Nordic Director

By the 4th USSA points list, athletes’ overall points will be calculated by using a minimum of two (2) races from the current season of the total of 4 races used to calculate their overall points. Currently an athlete could be ranked 1st place on the USSA NRL from races in late Jan, Feb and Mar of the previous season, and having not raced at all in the current season. This would aim to mitigate that scenario. It will be tested in 2012, with results to be reviewed at the 2012 USSA Congress.

If a foreign or U.S. athlete ends up in the penalty (top 5) in a FIS/USSA race and does not have points (Active, but no points) the USSA may use their last known FIS points to calculate the USSA (not FIS) penalty for the benefit of the USSA field. Only if the last known FIS points were from the current or previous season. As per the USSA Nordic Comp Guide (page 22), they are not permitted to receive any prize money.

Nordic Comp Guide clarification: Use Regional USSA penalty minimums except for: USSA SuperTour/U.S. Championships/NCAA Championships/Birkie.

Added Guidelines for USSA SuperTour Finals that includes increasing the entry fee to be on par with U.S. Championships, no free lodging for USSA SuperTour Leaders or USST, free entry to Overall SuperTour leaders (4 + 4), USST (A & B), and some low point foreign athletes, and the events in principle should include the 30k/50k U.S. Championships, a Sprint, a 10/15k mass start & a Hill Climb pursuit start. A prologue can be added if possible/desired.

Dropped the U23 Sprint brackets from the U.S. Championships sprint events.

Junior World Championship Team Selection Criteria – Objective criteria modified to include results achieved at the NorAm Continental Cups being held in December 2011.

U23 Championship Team Selection Criteria – Objective criteria modified to include results achieved at the NorAm Continental Cups being held in December 2011, and to lower the women’s FIS point result from 60 to 55.

Approved moving towards a permanent coaches’ bib system, whereby licensed and certified USSA (Level 100 or above) coaches are issued a bib with a number that corresponds with their USSA license. This bib will afford the coach all coaches’ privileges at Junior Nationals, U.S. Championships and USSA SuperTour Finals. Coaches will be required to bring their bibs to these events, the Bibs are non-transferrable, and one day bibs will be available for rental for licensed, non-certified coaches from the OC at these events.

Ski exchanges will be allowed during the 30/50K U.S. Championships. Limit to one change per athlete in the 30k and 2 changes per athlete in a 50k in exchange boxes to be provided by the OC.

Junior National Championship rule changes/updates:

– Agreed to move JN’s 2013 back one week to March 11-16 as per Fairbanks OC request;
– Approved the use of a Sprint Relay at JN’s of +/-1.5k to replace the distance relay (same 3 person design and AK pts) when venue is considered suitable to host;
– Approved the change of the J1 Mass start distance at JN’s to 10k (from 15k);
– Approved changing the seeding of the JN distance races by USSA Distance pts (not overall);
– Approved the removal of rule 83.3.10 from the JN rules.

2014 Junior National Championships provisional bid has gone to Trapp Family Lodge, Stowe, VT. Progress towards preparations will be reviewed at the 2012 USSA Congress to confirm the selection.

The Assistant TD will receive room, meal reimbursement, and travel expenses for USSA SuperTour events.

Approved the Trail Homologation Procedures for USSA document Download here

To allow for a limited number of USSA SuperTour events that are not scored to FIS when there is a strategic purpose for being at the site. 2012: West Yellowstone (distance race), Owl Creek Chase, Birkie

National event calendar draft can be downloaded below, and will be updated asap HERE.

Click HERE to view the USSA XC National Draft Calendar 2012.

May 09, 2011 – The Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance (CSTA) set another attendance record at its annual conference, which attracts representatives from the sport, tourism and recreation sectors. Sport Events Congress 2011 was held last week at the Westin Hotel in Ottawa with 375 delegates in attendance. CSTA also marked a 50% increase in sponsorship support for the Congress.

“Year over year increases in Congress attendance, investment by sponsors and membership growth are key indicators that suggest that sport tourism continues to flourish in communities across Canada,” said Rick Traer, CSTA CEO. “Over the next four years, the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup and the 2015 Pan and Parapan American Games will generate an unprecedented level of awareness of the many benefits associated with sport hosting.”

Over 30 events rights holders/sports organizations participated in Sport Events Exchange, the events marketplace that remains the #1 ranked element of the Congress. Delegates were also treated to an off-site social function at the new Multi-Sport Centre in Gatineau where participants viewed sport demos and toured this new facility that is poised to host a number of events in 2011 and beyond. Another Congress highlight was the fifth annual PRESTIGE Awards luncheon, hosted by CTV sports personality, Rod Black.

The record crowd appreciated the variety of session topics, training workshops and dynamic group of keynote speakers that included Andrea Shaw, former Vice-President of Sponsorship Sales and Marketing for the Vancouver 2010 Organizing Committee who shared her insights into the importance of corporate partnerships.

Marcel Aubut, President of the Canadian Olympic Committee, also reflected on the success of the 2010 Games and referenced the potential opportunities associated with future major events to be hosted in Canada in coming years. Ian Troop, CEO of the Toronto 2015 Pan / Parapan American Games, followed up with a presentation highlighting how the PanAms and Parapan Ams will affect Toronto and neighbouring communities from both a sport and cultural perspective.

Other influential sport business leaders to address the Congress included: Peter Montopoli, General Secretary of the Canadian Soccer Association; Bob O’Doherty, Senior VP Games and Venues, Toronto 2015; Greg Stremlaw, CEO, Canadian Curling Association; Rick Janes, Commissioner & CEO, Canadian Professional Golf Tour; Jackie Stell-Buckingham, Director of Events, Skate Canada; and Don Schumacher, Executive Director of the National Association of Sports Commissions in the USA. A special sport marketing stream, presented by TrojanOne and led by Mark Harrison, President, rounded out the most successful Sport Events Congress to date.

Copies of the SEC 2011 presentations are now available on CSTA’s website (www.canadiansporttourism.com). More information concerning SEC 2012, already confirmed for April 18-20, 2012 in Richmond, BC, will be announced in the coming weeks as CSTA prepares to host the Congress for the first time in western Canada.