MEMORANDUM

DATE:May 15, 2017

TO:Members of FIS Masters Sub-Committee

FROM:Bob Davis, USSA FIS Masters Rep.

Bill Skinner, USSA Masters Manager

RE:2018 Criterium Scheduling Conflict

for Big Sky, Montana, USA

CONFLICT:

The FIS Masters Cup proposed race schedule for the 2017-2018 season presents a major scheduling conflict for the Criterium to be held at Big Sky, Montana, USA, March19-23, with an additional FMC GS race on March 24, 2017 with the 3-event Kandahar Series presently proposed for March16-18, 2018 in Chatel, France, in that an insufficient break period has been allowedbetween the FMC Kandahar Series and the commencement of the FMC Criterium.

GOAL OF THE CRITERIUM:

To hold the best quality Championship event possible with the largest and strongest fields of Masters Racers possible from around the world.

DISCUSSION:

Regulation MA72 states that “Before the Calendar is finalized, the Criterium Organizers have first choice of date in order to offer the best conditions in regard to snow conditions and accommodations….” The organizers for the Big Sky Criterium selected March 19-23, 2018 to hold the championship event. These dates should take precedent over any other dates chosen by other organizers for their FMC races. The Kandahar FMC 3-event series has been proposed for March16-18 at Chatel, France, allowing only one (1) travel day from the end of the Kandahar Event to the commencement of the Criterium. At the scheduling meeting held at Meiringen-Hasliberg this past March2017, the U.S. Representative, Tim Hill brought to the attention of the Committee this conflict.

Past history shows that there has been a sufficient break allowed between the last FMC race and the Criteriums in the past:

Year / Location / Number of Days
2012 / Mammoth Mtn, CA, USA / 10
2013 / Megeve / 12
2014 / Goetschen / 9
2015 / Abetone / 7
2016 / Spindleruv / 7
2017 / Meiringen / 8
2018 / Big Sky / 1 day

The British Kandahar race is a popular race. Over 150 racers participated at last year’s event. The Chatel race is also a 3-event series. The series has been included in the schedule as part of the FMC. European racers will be presented with a choice: to participate in the Kandahar Series for points, or forgo this series to travel to the United States to race in the Criterium event at Big Sky, as it will be impossible to get from Chatel on Sunday to Big Sky in time for the Team Captain’s meeting and register on Monday. Therefore it is a direct conflict.

It must be remembered that the Criterium takes a major commitment in money and personnel from the venue and sponsors, as well as manpower from volunteers to put on this event.

USSA Master’s Argument

  1. For an example: In 2015 the FIS World Cup Championships were held at Vail, CO. The FIS World Cup Scheduling Committee would never have considered running a World Cup race in Europe the day before “The Championships.” As you are well aware, the Criterium is the Masters’ World Championships.
  1. Past Criteriums have never been scheduled back to back with FMC races allowing for less than a 7-day] break. Big Sky is currently scheduled with only 1 day allowed for preparation and travel from Europe. This would no doubt hurt participation in both the Kandahar and Criterium Events. For those chasing FMC points, why travel when you can get easy points at home?
  1. Major Sponsors and venues would be reluctant to make a full commitment when the FIS Masters do not.
  1. Additional sponsors would also be hard to attain when the FIS Masters organization is not fully committed to event.

Possible Solutions:

  1. Change Chantel dates to one of the January weekends, and reschedule one of the other races set for January, and possibly to not add Levi or one of the other less-attended races. Reasoning: the Criterium is afforded priority of scheduling in the FIS Masters Cup calendar (see MA 72); or
  1. Hold Chatel as an MAS race instead of part of the FMC. Therefore there would be no need for “points chasing” by racers to avoid the strong field at the Criterium, which is not a good precedent for accumulating FMC points for globes; or
  1. Remove Chatel from schedule, stating the Criterium has historic priority with apologies from the U.S. for stating FIS Masters Rule and precedence in Criterium scheduling.

Note, the conflict has already being challenged by our sponsor ($21K) and will not go over well with the venue, and the conflict will most assuredly cause a reduction in attendance from European racers.

JAN / 6-7 / SUI / Veysonnaz / SL / GS / L + M
13-14 / AUT / Aflens-Thurnau / SG / SL / GS / L + M
20-21 / GER / Goetschen / GS / GS / SL / L + M
27-28 / CRO / Zagreb / GS / SL
L + M
FEB / 3-4 / FRA / Megeve / SG / SL / GS / L + M
10-11 / ITA / Cortina / SG / SL / GS
17-18 / SVK / Strsbske / SL / GS
24-25
MARCH / 3-4 / CZE / Pec pod Snezkou / FMC / SL / GS / L + M
10-11 / SLO / Cerkno / FMC / SL / GS / L + M
16-18 / GBR / Chatel (FRA) / FMC / SG / SL / GS / L + M
FIS WORLD CRITERIUM MASTERS
19-23 / USA / Big Sky / WCM / SG / SL / GS / L + M
24 / USA / Big Sky / FMC / GS / L + M

We hope you will consider our concerns and change the proposed schedule to allow an adequate break from the last FMC race to the commencement of the Criterium, so that no racer will be faced with making a choice between FMC events.

Respectfully submitted,

Bob Davis (USSA Masters FIS Representative)

Bill Skinner (USSA Masters Manager)