Ski Federation Looks Ahead to Developments in 2009 and Winter Olympics

FIS communications chief Christian Knauth says the federation's sponsors are fully committed and preparations are on track for Vancouver 2010. (ATR/B. Pinelli)Despite the global economic downturn, the International Ski Federation says its corporate partners are committed to fulfilling sponsorships in the build-up to the Vancouver Olympics.

“We are not losing any sponsors in 2009,” Christian Knauth, FIS director for marketing and communications, told Around the Rings.

“We continue to have Audi for alpine and Longines for the alpine timing. It has been a very good and beneficial relationship. In ski jumping we once again have Ricoh [the Japanese digital office solutions provider] as our title sponsor,” he said.

Knauth's comments came at last weekend's World Cup Alpine event in Val Gardena, Italy. He spoke to ATR about sponsorships, television and preparations for the 2010 Olympics.

In October, Swedish carmaker Audi, title sponsor of the FIS Alpine Ski World Cup over the past six years, extended its agreement for four more years leading up to and including the 2011-2012 season.

Longines began its long association with ski racing back in 1933 when it first timed the World Downhill Championships in Chamonix, France. The Swiss company has been an official partner of the FIS since the 2006-07 season. Japan-based Ricoh has been title sponsor of the FIS Ski Jumping World Cup since 1994 in addition to being a presenting sponsor dating back to the 1988 Four-Hills Tournament.

Commenting about the ski federation's goals for 2009, Knauth said: “Ski jumping and alpine are especially important to us this year.”

In mid-February, at the FIS World Nordic Championships, women’s ski jumping will be contested for the first time at a major competition and is expected to generate significant media interest.

On the television side, the FIS continues its collaboration with Swiss-based Infront Sports & Media, who along with subsidiary, Infront Advanced Media Solutions, manage the broadcast, marketing and new media rights of the Alpine World Cup. Currently, they handle about 50 of the 70 events worldwide. Two-time Overall World Cup Champion Bode Miller skis in Val Gardena, Italy. Miller was an athlete representative during the first informal meeting between FIS and alpine skiers. (Saslong.org / R.Perathone)

“We are still working very closely with Infront. They have been very helpful to us in promoting our sport.” said Knauth. “The partnership has been good together.”

Since the acquisition of Italy-based Media Partners, Infront has strengthened its position in winter sports and host broadcast production. In cooperation with the FIS, it recently launched a new Web site - www.fisalpineworldcup.com.

Also front of mind for the FIS are the rapidly approaching Vancouver Olympics.

Preparations for the alpine skiing venue, Whistler Creekside at Whistler Mountain Resort, appear to be right on track. Nordic events will take place at nearby Whistler Olympic Park.

“We are happy with the venues. They are very good and everything is progressing well,” said Knauth. “They [VANOC] are very organized and we look forward to successful events there.”

Contouring and reshaping of the men’s and women’s downhill courses are among key objectives for Games organizers in 2009. It is estimated that $27.6 million has been spent on improvements to the venue which will accommodate 7,600 spectators. The men’s downhill is the opening event of the alpine program, starting on Feb. 13, 2010.

Alpine Racers Get a Voice

At the Val Gardena World Cup, the first informal meeting of five alpine skiers and members of the FIS took place. The intention was to exchange ideas and initiate discussion related to topics of concern, common goals, safety, and improving marketing and television coverage of the sport.

Bernhard Russi, vice chair of the FIS alpine committee, led the meeting. Representing the racers were U.S. skier Bode Miller, Hermann Maier of Austria, Didier Cuche of Switzerland, Erik Guay of Canada and World Cup leader Aksel Lund Svindal of Norway.

Current Overall World Cup Leader, Aksel Lund Svindal of Norway. Svindal was also an athlete representative in Italy. (Saslong.org / R.Perathone) After an unnamed athlete criticized TV coverage of the recent World Cup event at Val D’Isere, France, the meeting was probably long overdue.

“Instead of communicating through the media or not communicating, it makes more sense to sit around a table and talk things over,” said Svindal. “By the end of the day, everyone wants the same thing. We want our sport to be as good as possible for the athletes, spectators and sponsors.”

“It’s a matter of looking into what’s possible and what can be done to try and work together instead of just throwing it out there to our media friends. You don’t have any progress doing that.”

The next meeting of FIS and the alpine skiers is scheduled for the Wengen, Switzerland World Cup events in mid-January.

With reporting from Brian Pinelli.

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