Odermatt criticizes unequal race selection in the new Ski World Cup calendar!

Odermatt criticizes unequal race selection in the new Ski World Cup calendar!

The new World Cup calendar for the 2025/26 ski season has already caused heated discussions. In particular, the overall World Cup winner Marco Odermatt expressed his dissatisfaction with the division of the races, such as Laola1. The point of criticism is the imbalance between technology and speed competitions. While only seven departures and nine Super-G were set for the coming season, eleven slaloms and nine giant gate runs have been planned. This unequal distribution lacks the balance that Odermatt and other athletes have long wanted.

Especially on the descents, Odermatt has focused. He demands a balanced racing calendar with a total of nine World Cup races per discipline. "The departure is the supreme discipline, it shouldn't have a very few races," adds his colleague Justin Murisier, like Bluewin notes . Despite the insufficient number of speed races, Odermatt still sees itself in the favorite role for the upcoming overall World Cup.

imbalance in the racing calendar

The provisional planning published by the International Ski Association (FIS) comprises 37 races for men and women this season, divided into 17 speed and 20 technology races. As a result, the gap is not optimally filled before New Year's Eve, especially for men, since the speed races in Bormio will not take place due to the Olympic Games. The FIS is currently looking for a replacement race, whereby Odermatt proposes the departure either in the Old Year week or at the end of January in Crans-Montana.

The official races are currently provisionally determined and must be approved at the FIS Congress in June. Here could change something on the schedule. With regard to the 2026 Winter Olympics, which will take place in Italy in February, the planning ensures further conversation. It is also planned for a longer stay in the USA for both genders, which means a temporary lowering of the number of races in Europe.

challenges

In addition to the challenge to compensate for the calendar, the FIS must ensure that the location of the planned races is also reliable in terms of weather, since races can be postponed or canceled due to unfavorable conditions. This ensures additional pressure on both the athletes and the organization. Skinachrichten emphasizes that the season traditionally begins in Sölden, Austria, and ends with the final in Lillehammer, Norway. The first races are scheduled for the end of October 2025, followed by other top -class events in various European and North American skiors.

Whether the FIS learns from the current critical voices and adapts the competition calendar remains to be seen. A balanced calendar could not only support the athletes, but also increase the general interest and the number of spectators in the next season.