Longines to provide data & timing for entire FIS Alpine Ski World Cup and World Championships - A long term commitment

21st October 2011//-- Longines, the well known Swiss watch brand, will continue to ensure precision in timing for world-class skiing. As the official timekeeper for the entire FIS Alpine Ski World Cup and the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships, Longines will be present on the slopes with a long term commitment.

Gian Franco Kasper, FIS President, commented: "FIS is delighted that the long-term partnership between Longines and the FIS Alpine Ski World Cup continues to grow. This new agreement represents significant value for FIS and all the Organizers of the FIS Alpine Ski World Cup events. Annually, some 80 competitions will be staged world-wide on the two separate World Cup tours for the ladies and men, which requires an experienced global partner equipped to handle this massive task. The sport of Alpine ski racing relies on 100% accurate timing - with Longines we know that we are in the best possible hands."

As Walter von Känel, President of Longines, said, "Longines is looking forward to the new skiing season and the magnificent competitions that we can expect. We are delighted to be present in all the countries of the FIS World Cup! The long term commitment as Official Timekeeper will give Longines the possibility to develop and optimize timing and data handling technologies."

During the 2011/12 ski season, FIS Alpine Ski World Cup competitions will be held in Andorra, Austria, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Russia, Sweden, Slovenia Switzerland and USA.

Longines' long association with competitive skiing started in Chamonix in 1933. The winter contracts for timing international skiing events that followed gave Longines the opportunity to introduce many technological innovations, since each era has presented its own specific demands. Over time, the technical requirements in timekeeping have become much more stringent. For the men's downhill, for example, the FIS now requires five intermediate times and two speed measurements as well as the final time. In addition, all measurements must be to one hundredth of a second.

During the 2011-2012 skiing season Longines will introduce its official watch of the season: The Longines Column-Wheel Chronograph. The timing features of this model combined with a classical design make it a contemporary watch that echoes the great tradition of mechanical timing in the world of sport. The self-winding, chronograph movement has a column wheel which drives the mechanism that measures periods of time and which is characterized by an exceptional operating comfort. The blued steel column wheel controls the chronograph functions (start, stop, return to zero) and is part of a work of art that is a stylized update of the traditional technique. The Longines Column-Wheel Chronograph model continues the brand's horological heritage into the 21st century.

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About FIS
FIS is the governing body for international skiing and snowboarding, founded in 1924 during the first Olympic Games in Chamonix, France. Recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), FIS manages the Olympic disciplines of Alpine Skiing, Cross-Country Skiing, Ski Jumping, Nordic Combined, Freestyle Skiing and Snowboarding, including setting the international competition rules. Through its 112 member nations, more than 6'000 FIS ski and snowboard competitions are staged annually. Specific initiatives are undertaken by FIS to promote snow activities as a healthy leisure recreation, notably for the young.

For more information, please visit www.fis-ski.com.

About Longines
Based in St. Imier in Switzerland since 1832, the watchmaker Longines can look back on more than 175 years of non-stop craftsmanship, as well as a solid heritage as timekeeper for world championships in various sports and collaborator with different international sports federations. Known for the elegance of its timepieces, Longines is a member of the Swatch Group Ltd, the World's leading manufacturer of horological products. With the winged hourglass as its emblem, the brand has outlets in over 130 countries.

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