FIS Alpine World Cup to remain in Europe this November

[Rudi Riet]

Per a U.S. Ski and Snowboard press release, the FIS has decided to keep the White Circus* in Europe in November.

Thus, no Killington, Beaver Creek, or Lake Lousie World Cup races this year.

FIS Alpine World Cup To Remain in Europe

The 2020-21 FIS Alpine World Cup men’s and women’s calendars will adopt a different structure due to impacts from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. After extended discussions among FIS, the national ski associations and the local organizing committees in Canada and the USA, together with their...

www.usskiandsnowboard.org

* - for those who are unfamiliar with the term, "the White Circus" is a nickname for the FIS Alpine World Cup circuit, with the "white" in this case indicative of snow. It's not a term used too much outside of ski racing circles, so it may be confusing.

 

[scott43]

Sensible

 

[Marker]

Well, I had planned to attend this year in Killington until COVID changed our family's Thanksgiving plans. Here's hoping for a return to some kind of normalcy by next year.

 

[Tricia]

Sad but not surprised.

 

[scott43]

I mean, the bubbles in NHL and NBA are working so it makes sense to try to replicate that as much as possible I think. Flying around the world I think just introduces more issues for everyone.

 

[BrianB]

Agree this makes sense. Hope they will be able to pull off the season in Europe without any additional disruptions to the schedule.

 

[coskigirl]

Hopefully US athletes will be allowed to travel there so they can take part. Maybe a requirement to have a negative test, then travel and stay quarantined for 14 days and stay for the entirety of the season?

 

[Jilly]

With our quarantine laws, I'm not surprised that LL is off the books. If we're not letting MLB in, the white circus isn't coming either.

Have to wait and see about Freestyle.

 

[Rudi Riet]

Have to wait and see about Freestyle.

My guess is that Freestyle, Nordic, and Snowboard will all end up being EU-only for this season. The exact point you make regarding the Canadian border will affect all of this. Even at the North-American-only level, there will be issues: Nor-Ams, other FIS races, et al will all be either massively downsized or cancelled this season due to logistical problems.

And this likely will trickle down to the more local and junior levels of competition. It's not pretty, but that's where things stand right now.

As Sean Doolittle (pitcher for the Washington Nationals) said when expressing his frustration with Major League Baseball jumping back into action with modified travel schedules:

"Sports are like the reward of a functional society, and we’re trying to just bring it back, even though we’ve taken none of the steps to flatten the curve, whatever you want to say."​

I see his point here, and I agree with it. And it seems that the FIS is trying its best to keep the spread of COVID in check, even if it means alienating (or at least acknowledging the challenges facing) its North American contingent.

We will get through this, but I foresee this coming 2020-21 season to be one of massive disruption in winter sport competition circles, regardless of discipline.

 

[scott43]

Honest question: what proportion of revenue for FIS comes from the US and Canada?

 

[fatbob]

No surprise - don't count on the Euro circuit surviving intact. Madness like the boozed up crowds at the Hannenkahn or the Schladming night slalom will hardly be good PR for skiing and the ski industry if they get associated with significant outbreaks.

X Games been cancelled yet?

 

[crgildart]

Be interesting to see how they manage and control the après' ski parties around the white circus wherever they go there. après ski parties in the alps were kind of the fuse that blew this up other places where those skiers traveled to both in Europe and other continents. They will have to keep a tight leash on competitors and fans there.

 

[Marker]

I would wager that it's the "après" that's the problem, not the "ski"...

 

[Jack skis]

Lots of problems for any ski racing. let alone World Cup racing in a Pandemic. Obvious ones are who can get into the country, where will they be domiciled, how will they travel to get to races venues, and those are just the start. How will social distancing effect, on-slope training, course set-up procedures, course inspection, bib draws, and then there's start corrals. I've never been in a WC start corral, but have been in a number of non WC corrals and they are crowded with racers, coaches, techs, and who knows who else in a small space (yeah, it's outside, but still). The start house is another matter, smaller still and crowded with starters, timers other officials, coaches, media people, and little room for distancing, Plus a lot of loud voices. If the start problems can be sorted out you get to the finish corral and its crowds. Forgot the people along the course; course crews, coaches, officials, patrol members, and media people again. Much as I like ski racing this is going to be a tough year. Can there be a bubble system as in basketball? A truncated season as in baseball? I am not encouraged by any of this.

And then there's the rabbit hole of fairness. For example if all races are confined to Europe, and North Americans or Asians can't get there how does that work? From what I read the Europeans are way ahead in training opportunities, so if other racers get there will they be so far behind in preparation that they have much lower chances of success? Maybe the World Cup needs to take a year off.

 

[fatbob]

Why would the Ski WC which is a predominantly a Euro based competition and has the only countries with anything like a mainstream TV audience take a winter off just to be fair to North American competitors? I'm pretty sure all US racers have enough sponsor hookups etc to be able to domicile themselves in e.g. Western Austria for a winter.

Europe is pretty much planning on having a "normal" ski season at present

See this for an example - wear a buff on enclosed lifts and don't party hard but no reduction on lift capacity except if its not that busy

Winter information 2022/23 | Ski resorts Ischgl, Galtür, Kappl & See

Together healthy and safe through the winter! Check it out now & enjoy a carefree winter holiday in Paznaun!

www.ischgl.com

I'm not overly hopeful

 

[crgildart]

Europe is pretty much planning on having a "normal" ski season at present

See this for an example - wear a buff on enclosed lifts and don't party hard but no reduction on lift capacity except if its not that busy
I'm not overly hopeful

Me either..
Last season was also a normal ski season until suddenly it wasn't.

 

[James]

Why would the Ski WC which is a predominantly a Euro based competition and has the only countries with anything like a mainstream TV audience take a winter off just to be fair to North American competitors? I'm pretty sure all US racers have enough sponsor hookups etc to be able to domicile themselves in e.g. Western Austria for a winter.

Europe is pretty much planning on having a "normal" ski season at present

See this for an example - wear a buff on enclosed lifts and don't party hard but no reduction on lift capacity except if its not that busy

Winter information 2022/23 | Ski resorts Ischgl, Galtür, Kappl & See

Together healthy and safe through the winter! Check it out now & enjoy a carefree winter holiday in Paznaun!

www.ischgl.com

I'm not overly hopeful

Their statement on cable car capacities is vague and not reassuring. You’ve got to wear a face mask, great. You’ve also got to breathe. How about ventilation?

So, if there’s not a lot of people they’ll lower the capacity? Meaning if there is a lot of people they won’t?

——————
Limited number of persons: A reduction of the highest number of persons allowed in the cable car cabins or the chairlifts is not legally mandatory. Permitted capacities will, however, not be fully utilised if the ridership is accordingly low. In cable car cabins and when riding on chairlifts and lifts, wearing FFPs is mandatory.
—————————

 

[Moose32]

Bummed. Cancelled my hotel for BoP weekend.

 

[fatbob]

Their statement on cable car capacities is vague and not reassuring. You’ve got to wear a face mask, great. You’ve also got to breathe. How about ventilation?

So, if there’s not a lot of people they’ll lower the capacity? Meaning if there is a lot of people they won’t?

——————
Limited number of persons: A reduction of the highest number of persons allowed in the cable car cabins or the chairlifts is not legally mandatory. Permitted capacities will, however, not be fully utilised if the ridership is accordingly low. In cable car cabins and when riding on chairlifts and lifts, wearing FFPs is mandatory.
—————————

Yup that's my interpretation i.e. don't worry about us being able to offer a full skiing experience because there isn't a law requiring us to reduce capacity.

Of course such a law might be made if it proves to be a problem. There are 2 schools of thought - tourism is a massive driver of the economy in Tirol and Salzburgerland so efforts are being made to avoid adverse laws. However federal government in Vienna is seen as being remote from those areas and apt to enforce its own rules.