At the FIS Coordination Group meeting held in Falun on the 13th of May, the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) received a comprehensive status report on the ongoing preparations for the upcoming World Ski Championships in Falun. One of the main focuses of the meeting was the presentation of the appointed sports organization, which was introduced in its entirety.
FIS holds Coordination Group meetings twice a year with future World Championship organizations. These meetings provide an opportunity to systematically review all key aspects of the event planning. The recent meeting was Falun´s fifth Coordination Group meeting, with the FIS delegation comprising Secretary General Michel Vion, Head of Sports and Events Sandra Spitz, Head of Digital and Innovation Benjamin Stoll, Commercial Manager Patrik Holmgren, as well as the Race Directors for Ski Jumping, Nordic Combined, and Cross-country Skiing.
During the meeting, the local organizing committee presented detailed updates on the preparations for the Championships across all functional areas. FIS has previously emphasized the need for the local organizing committee to appoint additional key personnel. At this meeting, the structure of the sports organization was presented, with a majority of the essential roles now filled.
Discussions also covered the preparations for the test events and upcoming World Cup competitions: Ski Jumping in late November, and Cross-country Skiing and Nordic Combined in late February. Representatives from the Municipality of Falun and LUFAB participated in the meeting and reported on the infrastructure work required ahead of the test events, particularly at the Ski Jumping venue. Renovation of the final section of the spectator stands is currently underway, as well as groundwork on the landing area of the large hill.
Falun is set to host the pre-World Championships World Cup events in Ski Jumping on 25–26 November (men) and 28–29 November (women), with both hills to be used by athletes in both men’s and women’s World Cup.
– All stakeholders; Falun 2027, the Municipality, and LUFAB, have an extensive amount of work ahead of us this summer and autumn. Our goal is to ensure that Lugnet, the organizing committee, and the city of Falun are fully prepared to deliver world-class Ski Jumping competitions in November, stated Sara Tigerström Monfelt, Chief Operating Officer of the 2027 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in Falun.
Kajsa Sjösvärd, the appointed Head of Security for the Championships, provided an overview of a comprehensive risk and security assessment that the organization has done. This includes knowledge sharing with organizers of other major international events, identification of potential risks, and a clear allocation of responsibilities.
In addition to the security update, reports were also presented on the status of volunteer recruitment, accommodation planning, communications, and ceremonies for example.
– It was an intense and highly productive day. These Coordination Group meetings are crucial for the continued development of our planning efforts. On this occasion, we also benefitted greatly from the insights shared by the team from Trondheim, based on their recent experience of hosting the World Championships,” said Jonas Peterson, CEO of the 2027 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in Falun.