The FIS Council held its Spring Meeting at the Hotel International in Varna (BUL) on Sunday 7^th June 2015 and dealt with a full agenda, including regular items such as reports from Organising Committees of the FIS World Championships, the appointment of technical officials, proposals from the FIS Technical Committees, FIS World Cup calendars and updates to various rules.

The main decisions of the Council in Varna are as follows:

Decisions directly related to FIS World Cup calendars 2015/2016 to 2018/2019

Minor modifications to the FIS World Cup Calendars for the 2015/2016 season proposed by the respective Technical Committees were approved and will be available on the FIS website from Monday 8^th June, as well as calendar drafts until 2018/19.

Of note in the FIS Alpine World Cup calendar for the upcoming season is an increased number of alpine combined competitions with four scheduled for ladies and three for the men, therefore a FIS World Cup globe will be awarded. The competitions that will serve as the first test events for the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in PyeongChang (KOR) are scheduled in February 2016 for men’s downhill and super G, Freestyle Skiing and Snowboard cross and slopestyle competitions. Cross-Country Skiing will organise the 10^th edition of the Tour de Ski and the FIS Ski Flying World Championships in Kulm (AUT) will be the highlight of the Ski Jumping season in January 2016. The Nordic Combined World Cup features the 50^th anniversary of the competitions in Schonach (GER).

FIS World Championships and Junior World Championships

• The Council confirmed the Candidates for the FIS World Championships in 2020 and 2021 as well as the procedure for the election on 5^th June 2016 in Cancun (MEX). The deadline for applications for the FIS Freestyle Skiing and Snowboard World Championships 2021 has been extended to 1^st October 2015.
• The competition programmes for the 2017 FIS World Ski Championships in the Alpine and Nordic Events in St. Moritz (SUI) and Lahti (FIN) were approved.
• Park City (USA) was appointed as Organiser of the FIS Nordic Junior World Ski Championships 2017.
• Val di Fassa (ITA) and Davos (SUI) as Organisers of the FIS Alpine Junior World Championships in 2018 and 2019. The final decision which one takes place in 2018 and 2019 will be made after technical inspections in view of ongoing development to the courses.
• Les Contamines (FRA) was appointed as Organiser of the Telemark Junior World Championships 2016.
• Dizin (IRA) was appointed as Organiser of the FIS Grass Ski Junior World Championships 2016.
• The Ski Jumping mixed team competition will be included on the programme of the FIS Nordic Junior World Ski Championships 2016 in Rasnov (ROU)

Olympic Winter Games

A report was received from PyeongChang 2018 with a detailed progress update about the venues in anticipation of the FIS World Cup competitions that will serve as Test Events planned this season in both Alpine, Freestyle Skiing and Snowboard.

Technical Committees

Various updates to the International Competition Rules (ICR) were made. A more detailed summary for each discipline will be published in the next edition of the FIS Newsflash. Key decisions include the following:

All Disciplines

The currency exchange rate on 15^th October will be applied to the competition season relating to costs in the rules for prize money, accommodation, travel expenses.

Cross-Country Skiing

• A limitation on the number of support staff for the teams was defined.
• In sprint events, a decision is valid with the decision of two jury members including the Technical Delegate.
• For interval distance races the seeded group is reduced to 15 athletes (from 30) and the athletes will be assigned to four groups to define the starting order.

Ski Jumping

• Regulations for the construction and homologation of Jumping and Flying hills were updated.
• The World Cup final shall comprise the top 30 competitors of the overall World Cup standings.
• The quota calculation for participation in Continental Cup was amended.
• Wearing of ski gloves is compulsory for all events.

Nordic Combined

• Participation quotas for the World Cup were changed to include the top 55 competitors in the World Ranking List with a maximum of six per nation.
• The Nordic Combined format with one jump and 5km cross-country race may be carried out as part of the World Cup.

Alpine Skiing

• A qualification race for ladies (in addition to the men) will be carried out at the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships in St. Moritz 2017.
• The number of quota places for participation in the FIS World Cup alpine combined competition has been increased.
• Single pole slalom races may be carried out at all levels. A test will take place at the FIS Alpine World Cup in Levi (FIN) in November 2015. Alternative colour poles and gate panels (to red and blue) may be used for FIS World Cup and major events.
• Competition suits will require a label/plomb attesting to conformity with FIS specifications for competition suits.

Freestyle Skiing

• Wireless timing meeting FIS specifications may be used for ski cross qualification. Additional updates to the technical data and execution of ski cross were made.
• Changes to the jump criteria and specifications for moguls were agreed.

Snowboard

• Rules for the team parallel competition were decided.
• Updates to the technical data and execution of snowboard cross were made.
• Scoring procedures for the judging system were revised.
• Entry rules for big air City events were defined.

Further coordination of the rules between Freestyle Skiing and Snowboard has been made in view of more joint events, notably at the Olympic Winter Games and World Championships.

Other disciplines and FIS Committees

• Updates to the Rules for Masters Skiing, Speed Skiing and Telemark were agreed.
• The FIS Advertising Rules were finalised and approved.

FIS Congress

The 51^st FIS Congress in 2018 will take place in Costa Navarino, Greece.

FIS Committee Members

The members of the Athletes Commission 2015 - 2017 were confirmed following the elections held during the last winter. Jessica Lindell-Vikarby was elected chair and Mike Janyk, vice-chair (both Alpine Skiing) by their fellow Athlete Commission members.

FIS World Snow Day

The fifth FIS World Snow Day will take place on 17^th January 2016 after more than a half a million participants took part in the fourth edition. Audi is in its second full season as a partner of the Bring Children to the Snow campaign to jointly develop projects within the programme.

Source: fis-ski.com