During the FIS Calendar Conference in Varna (BUL), the Cross-Country Committee heard several proposals and made decisions.

Calendars
The FIS Cross-Country World Cup calendar 2015/16 was accepted with minor adjustments and confirmed by the FIS Council. Highlights of the 2015/16 season will be the 10th edition of the Viessmann FIS Tour de Ski performance by Craft sportswear and Ski Tour Canada 2016. You can read more about the World Cup Calendar here.

Individual starting order
In order to keep the athletes performance in focus and at the same time meet the needs of the TV production, a new individual starting order has been introduced. Athletes registered to compete will be assigned into 4 groups as follows:
• Group 1: seeded group (see article. 5.4.1)
• Group 2: the 30 best athletes after the seeded group according to the FIS distance points
• Group 3: the 15 best athletes after group 2 according to the FIS distance points
• Group 4: the rest of the registered athletes

If less than 60 athletes are registered to compete the number athletes assigned in Group 2 will be reduced accordingly.

The start list will be established as follows:
• Group 2: from the first start number to the beginning of the seeded group, the athletes will start according to their FIS distance points in reverse order (higher FIS points start first)
• Seeded group and group 3: the seeded athletes will start each second start number and the athletes assigned to group 3 will start between them (according to their FIS distance points in reverse order).
• The seeded athletes or their respective coaches at the TCM the night before will choose their start number within 15 available start numbers according to the following order:
− 5th to 1st in the seeded group. The best in the seeded group will chose as 5th to have a chance to see where his biggest contenders start.
− 6th to 15th in the seeded group
• Group 4: after the seeded group, the athletes will start according to their FIS distance points

Sprint Heat selection
Last season a new system of the heat selection was tested in Lahti and Drammen. Qualified athletes had a chance to chose which quarterfinal they want to compete in. The Cross-Country Committee decided to continue with the new system also next season. The Sprint heat selection will be reevaluated next spring and the final decision will be made.

Support staff
A limitation on the number of support staff for the teams was defined. Each team will receive different types of training bibs according to their athletes’ quota. The bibs will be used to control the access to different zones and especially the competition course in order to protect the competition course as much as possible. Course access on the competition day will be determined by the Jury according to the snow and weather conditions.

Reimbursement rules
During the summer the NSAs were asked to review the reimbursement rules for the red group. Proposals will be discussed at the FIS Autumn Meeting in Zurich and the final decision applicable since 2016/17 season will be made. The reimbursement rules for the upcoming season 2015/16 remain unchanged.

Classic technique
In order to preserve classical technique and ensure fairness of competitions the Sub-committee for Rules and Control agreed to increase definitions of proper classic technique. Where there are one or more set tracks, repeatedly changing or stepping in and out of tracks will not allowed.

To facilitate the Jury work especially in sprint qualification, sanctions for the violations of the classic technique rules can be given by a unanimous decision of two jury members without video evidence and a hearing from the athlete. The TD must be included in the two-person Jury decision.

Based on recommendations from the athletes the Sub-committee for Rules and Control also agreed that a competition suspension will always be accompanied by a written reprimand.

Source: fis-ski.com