Media coverage of World Cup skiing is always based on athletic results and stories – and should be. However, sometimes it also behooves to look at what it takes to organize large events, perhaps just to appreciate all the work and effort that is behind successful events. The athletes are the actors, but the volunteers and event organizers make it all happen.
I write this article on the airplane back from three weeks of attending large events in Europe; two weeks of following the FIS Cross-Country World Cup as a Technical Delegate and Jury member, and one week as a participant and observer in the FIS Masters Cross-Country World Cup. These opportunities make for a unique chance to experience what goes on behind the scenes of large Cross-Country events in Europe.
The FIS Cross-Country World Cup is the highest level annual series of events in our sport, and is limited to the approximate fastest 100 skiers in the World, based on selecting the best 4 skiers from each of the participating 25 nations. Press and media follow this series of events through the winter months, most notable by live TV coverage from every race. The events travel from country to country around (mostly) Europe, and each Organizer is responsible for taking care of the entire traveling “circus”. In addition to providing certified competition courses and venues, some of the “taking care of” includes organizing hotel rooms and food (four meals a day), paying for travel expenses, hosting information meetings, social events and award ceremonies, preparing waxing facilities both at the hotels and at the venues (at a size of about 200 square feet per team), organizing transportation between hotel and venue (several times per day), etc.
 the two nights preceding the event, but the last street closure is not until a couple of hours before the start of the race. During this time frame, the race course is prepared using trucks, backhoes and grooming machines, and the entire course if fenced off with metal barricades. Television is set up with about 12 – 14 cameras, camera platforms and accompanying cabling and lighting. The Organizer’s and FIS’s marketing departments are at the same time busy setting up banners and signs promoting the event’s sponsors. </p>
<p>These Sprint competitions are usually held in the early evening to draw as many spectators as possible. To create an enjoyable spectator experience large video screens are trucked in and assembled for the occasion. An experienced announcer and stadium production crew (some of the key persons from the 2002 Olympic Games actually) are often hired by the World Cup organizers to create a lively and interesting event for the competitors, coaches and spectators.</p>
<p>The World Cup’s traveling timing & result’s sponsor have about one day to install their multiple timing systems and elaborate transponder and photo finish systems. This information will be electronically transmitted to multiple locations and computers around the venue (TV, Jury, Media, announcers etc), as well as transmitted directly with the live TV signal.</p>
<p>Due to the fact that the entire Sprint venue is temporary, the installations are barely finished by the time the athletes and their entourage do their final race preparations – often oblivious to all the work that has been done to get everything ready. </p>
<p>The Technical Delegate (TD) and the other Jury members are there to act as “referees” for the events, and to help assist the organizer in making sure the event is run safely and by the rules. Some of the specific tasks can be to help the organizer with the final setup and grooming of the racecourse, to answer technical questions, to determine and verify the final and correct ranking and results, and at times make difficult decisions. The hardest decision the Jury had to do during this “tour” was to disqualify the leader (and real winner) of the race after he had skied the wrong course though the final corner into the finish stretch.</p>
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