On Friday 2nd October, the FIS Alpine World Cup Sub-Committee met at the FIS Autumn Meetings in Zurich to discuss different matters regarding the World Cup. The committee heard reports about different inspections, marketing improvements and future calendars were presented.

The major topics included:
Presentation of the new format of the Parallel Giant Slalom
This summer, the FIS Race Directors have worked together with various stakeholders to define the exact format of the Parallel Giant Slalom, which will be tested at the Audi FIS World Cup this season in Alta Badia (ITA). After collecting the feedback from broadcasters, coaches, athletes and technical committees, the final adjustments have been made to insure fairness and attractiveness. Everyone is now looking forward to this new exciting format of giant slalom.
Cancellation of the New Year’s City Event in Munich
Due to the previous difficulties in organising the competitions, the German Ski Federation withdrew Munich as an organiser of the City Event scheduled on 1st January. No replacement venue could be found for this season, but the event will stay on the calendar for the future.
Introduction of Killington as a ladies’ world cup organiser
25 years after the last World Cup races in Waterville Valley (New Hampshire), the World Cup Tour is back on the East Coast of the USA. The ski racing tradition is very strong in that part of the North America, which will make the stop in Killington (Vermont) in the season 2016/17 very exciting. Killington is taking over the weekend Aspen usually has in the calendar as Aspen will be hosting the World Cup Finals in 2017.
Election of Soldeu Grandvalira as the recommended organiser of the World Cup Finals 2019
The Alpine World Cup Committee voted between three very competent candidates to organise the World Cup Finals 2019: Lenzerheide, Méribel and Soldeu. In the end, the Andorran ski resort Soldeu Grandvalira was elected by a large majority and will now be recommended to the FIS Council as the Finals' host.

The official meeting was followed by a workshop, involving all the stakeholders, where some fundamental aspects of the World Cup were questioned, in order to attract a wider and younger audience. After that constructive brainstorming, the Alpine World Cup Sub-Committee has decided to file a motion for a working group to go deeper into these questions.

In other general Alpine matters, the Continental Cup Race Directors and the respective organising committees informed about the Youth Olympic Games of Lillehammer, taking place from 12th to 21st February and the FIS Alpine Junior World Ski Championships, to be held in Sochi from 24th February to 5th March 2016.

Source: fis-ski.com