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Chika Yoshida: "World Cup calendar has room for improvement"
Chika Yoshida, born 1970 in Tokyo, is now living in Innsbruck (AUT) for more than 20 years. When the ladies' World Cup was introduced in 2011/12, Yoshida was the FIS Coordinator and 2012/13 she became FIS Race Director for Ladies' Ski Jumping. With FISskijumping.com she spoke about the past ladies' World Cup season and the plans for the future.
FIS Ski Jumping: Congratulations Chika Yoshida on the past season of ladies' ski jumping with exciting competitions on a high level. Obviously the level increased again and it got closer at the top. It was a lot of fun watching the ladies compete.
Chika Yoshida: Thank you. Yes, the past winter was indeed on a high level and the top athletes were as close as never before. We had athletes of five different nations in the Top 10. This shows that it was a balanced season. From my point of view it was also important that the athletes suffered no serious injuries in the competitions, this also speaks for the quality of the athletes.
FIS Ski Jumping: A point that the athletes criticized was the small number of competitions last winter. There were long breaks in December and after the World Championships in Falun. In addition there was no mixed team competition, apart from the event at the World Championships. Why were there so few competitions for the ladies?
Yoshida: Basically I am satisfied with the calendar, but I understand if not all the athletes like the competition breaks. In order to understand the background, you need to look at the principle of the FIS calendar planning. The calendar for the ladies, and also the one for the men, is made according to requests of the national ski associations. Last winter we had events at all venues, capable off hosting a World Cup, for which the national ski associations submitted a request. The association submits a request, then the FIS sets up the calendars according to these requests and in cooperation with the various organizers. If you look at the men's calendar, it's completely full, but still not all the organizers, who want to host a World Cup, can get one. There are far more requests than events that can be carried out during the course of the winter.
FIS Ski Jumping: This means that there were no requests to host a World Cup from, for example, the USA, Finland, Italy, France and Canada? And only for one venue in Germany and Austria?
Yoshida: Yes, that's right. Ladies' COC competitions were organized on a high level in the USA (Park City) in the past (2004 - 2008), but there was never a request to host a World Cup. From Japan, for example, there were requests from Zao and Sapporo and two World Cups were carried out at each location.
FIS Ski Jumping: Why was there no mixed team competition in Lillehammer? Ladies and men were there together, both hills were prepared.
Yoshida: Because the Norwegian Ski Association didn't apply to host a mixed team competition.
FIS Ski Jumping: So if there would be applications from now venues, who can host a World Cup, the calendar would be extended?
Yoshida: Yes, the officials of the associations know the procedure. The national ski association can apply to host competitions until the FIS Sub-Committee meeting.
Source: fis-ski.com
FIS Ski Jumping: Congratulations Chika Yoshida on the past season of ladies' ski jumping with exciting competitions on a high level. Obviously the level increased again and it got closer at the top. It was a lot of fun watching the ladies compete.
Chika Yoshida: Thank you. Yes, the past winter was indeed on a high level and the top athletes were as close as never before. We had athletes of five different nations in the Top 10. This shows that it was a balanced season. From my point of view it was also important that the athletes suffered no serious injuries in the competitions, this also speaks for the quality of the athletes.
FIS Ski Jumping: A point that the athletes criticized was the small number of competitions last winter. There were long breaks in December and after the World Championships in Falun. In addition there was no mixed team competition, apart from the event at the World Championships. Why were there so few competitions for the ladies?
Yoshida: Basically I am satisfied with the calendar, but I understand if not all the athletes like the competition breaks. In order to understand the background, you need to look at the principle of the FIS calendar planning. The calendar for the ladies, and also the one for the men, is made according to requests of the national ski associations. Last winter we had events at all venues, capable off hosting a World Cup, for which the national ski associations submitted a request. The association submits a request, then the FIS sets up the calendars according to these requests and in cooperation with the various organizers. If you look at the men's calendar, it's completely full, but still not all the organizers, who want to host a World Cup, can get one. There are far more requests than events that can be carried out during the course of the winter.
FIS Ski Jumping: This means that there were no requests to host a World Cup from, for example, the USA, Finland, Italy, France and Canada? And only for one venue in Germany and Austria?
Yoshida: Yes, that's right. Ladies' COC competitions were organized on a high level in the USA (Park City) in the past (2004 - 2008), but there was never a request to host a World Cup. From Japan, for example, there were requests from Zao and Sapporo and two World Cups were carried out at each location.
FIS Ski Jumping: Why was there no mixed team competition in Lillehammer? Ladies and men were there together, both hills were prepared.
Yoshida: Because the Norwegian Ski Association didn't apply to host a mixed team competition.
FIS Ski Jumping: So if there would be applications from now venues, who can host a World Cup, the calendar would be extended?
Yoshida: Yes, the officials of the associations know the procedure. The national ski association can apply to host competitions until the FIS Sub-Committee meeting.
Source: fis-ski.com
