Nordic Skiing/Biathlon Thread

[Mayomaniac]

Goms decided against organizing a Tour de Ski stage. FIS is working on an Italian replacement venue so it will be an all Italian Giro di Ski next year.

You could also just cross the border near Toblach and use the Biathlon and training infrastructure in Obertilliach.
Altitude and they do have some demanding laps.
But I guess starting the Tour in Livigno and then going to Toblach before Val di Fiemme is the obvious call.

 

[OJRvE]

Oberstdorf withdrew their WC application for next season and are replaced by Pontresina. Hopefully it means they will use some of the longer loops in the Engadin valley.

But not good for the sport that Germany cannot afford a World Cup. There are also reports of downsizing in the finnish NSA. It seems they will not support athletes in Jumping and Combined anymore.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Oberstdorf withdrew their WC application for next season and are replaced by Pontresina. Hopefully it means they will use some of the longer loops in the Engadin valley.

But not good for the sport that Germany cannot afford a World Cup. There are also reports of downsizing in the finnish NSA. It seems they will not support athletes in Jumping and Combined anymore.

It's not that they can't afford it - it's that it's just not worth it. Better to protect the far more profitable Vierschanzentournee.

 

[OJRvE]

It's not that they can't afford it - it's that it's just not worth it. Better to protect the far more profitable Vierschanzentournee.

Yes obviously the issue is that’s it not generating any positive cash flow. And if they liked they could have taken money from the ski jumping side.

 

[ron122003]

fis ski WORLD CUP 2024/25: https://assets.fis-ski.com/f/252177/x/4f4220d9a1/draft_wc_calendar_cc_2024-25_may_8_2024.pdf

Period I
29.11. Fri Ruka FIN 10 km C
30.11. Sat Ruka FIN Sprint C
01.12. Sun Ruka FIN 20 km Mass Start F
06.12. Fri Lillehammer NOR 10 km F
07.12. Sat Lillehammer NOR Sprint F
08.12. Sun Lillehammer NOR 20 km Skiathlon
13.12. Fri Davos SUI Team Sprint F
14.12. Sat Davos SUI Sprint F
15.12. Sun Davos SUI 20 km Interval C
Period II
Tour de Ski
28.12. Sat Toblach ITA Sprint F
29.12. Sun Toblach ITA 15 km Mass Start C
31.12. Tue Toblach ITA 20 km Interval F
01.01. Wed Toblach ITA 15 km Pursuit C
03.01. Fri Val di Fiemme ITA Sprint C
04.01. Sat Val di Fiemme ITA 20 km Skiathlon
05.01. Sun Val di Fiemme ITA Final Climb
Period III
17.01. Fri Les Rousses FRA 10 km F
18.01. Sat Les Rousses FRA Sprint C
19.01. Sun Les Rousses FRA 20 km Mass Start C
24.01. Fri Engadin SUI Mixed Relay
25.01. Sat Engadin SUI Sprint F
26.01. Sun Engadin SUI 20 km Interval F
31.01. Fri Nove Mesto CZE Team Sprint C
01.02 Sat Nove Mesto CZE Sprint C
02.02 Sun Nove Mesto CZE 10 km F
14.02. Fri Falun SWE Sprint C
15.02. Sat Falun SWE 10 km C
16.02. Sun Falun SWE 20 km Mass Start F
Period IV
15.03 Sat Oslo NOR 10 km Interval F
16.03. Sun Oslo NOR 20 km Mass Start C
19.03 Wed Tallinn EST Sprint F
21.03. Fri Lahti FIN Team Sprint F
22.03. Sat Lahti FIN Sprint F
23.03. Sun Lahti FIN 50 km Mass Start C

 

[Libertine Seguros]

So... not only is Holmenkollen gone, but they wouldn't let the Finns get their way and they've made the Lahti 50 a Mass Start.

No actual relays, one mixed relay, and three grotesque abominations that are the Team Sprint.

A Lahti calendar that is 2/3 FREESTYLE SPRINTS.

Switzerland getting two interval start 20ks is about the only positive I can take out of this.

 

[Mayomaniac]

So... not only is Holmenkollen gone, but they wouldn't let the Finns get their way and they've made the Lahti 50 a Mass Start.

No actual relays, one mixed relay, and three grotesque abominations that are the Team Sprint.

A Lahti calendar that is 2/3 FREESTYLE SPRINTS.

Switzerland getting two interval start 20ks is about the only positive I can take out of this.

Also a 20km interval start in Toblach during the TdS.
But yeah, Fis is good at ruining everything good.

 

[Mayomaniac]

I'll say this, the French races being back and Val di Fiemme hosting a Skiathlon instead of a classic mass start (to lure more people in as a prep for the Olympics, maybe also on the proper tracks?) is nice.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Also a 20km interval start in Toblach during the TdS.
But yeah, Fis is good at ruining everything good.

Yea, but it's in freestyle, and they've put all the Classic stages in the formats designed to not create gaps. We don't even get the distance classic in Val di Fiemme now, instead a **** sprint which will probably have the biggest time gaps of all the classic stages thanks to the joke time bonuses.

The skiathlon is likely to render the classic part of the race irrelevant seeing as it's a day before the Alpe so nobody's going to want to go all out from distance, and given the course gives almost no opportunity for classic to make a difference, none of the athletes likely to want to do so in the Classic portion of the race are likely to be relevant enough to the GC to bother with it. I can't imagine male Niskanen bothers even entering, female Niskanen at least will.

I'll say this, the French races being back and Val di Fiemme hosting a Skiathlon instead of a classic mass start (to lure more people in as a prep for the Olympics, maybe also on the proper tracks?) is nice.

This is a positive point, I will agree, Les Rousses was a very pleasant surprise before so it is good to have it back.

 

[BullsFan22]

And likely no Russians next season, again, by far FIS’s number 1 tv audience. Good luck trying to revive this sport.

 

[kingjr]

And likely no Russians next season, again, by far FIS’s number 1 tv audience. Good luck trying to revive this sport.

"The sport" will be fine, people will continue to race each other on skis for some time.

 

[BullsFan22]

"The sport" will be fine, people will continue to race each other on skis for some time.

Sure, the sport on the amateur and citizen level will be fine (look at Germany, plenty of recreational skiers and the marathon races get a lot of participants) but on the professional level it is diminishing. Germany keeps shooting itself in the foot economically and for the first time in 24 years, no German World Cup in xc skiing on the calendar. Plus, only Italy will host TDS stages next season. You think that’s moving things forward?