From Zermatt to Val di Fiemme: FIS development camps drive global ski collaboration

September saw two development camps take center stage, one in Switzerland and the other on Italian snow.   

The former, focusing on speed, took place between 8-16 September in Zermatt with ideal conditions making for a smooth outing. FIS collaborated with snow sports powerhouse Swiss-Ski and developing nations to make it a roaring success. 

A busy daily itinerary pushed racers to their maximum, a mix of training on the slopes and dryland, and technical sessions kept everyone busy.   

Whether it was Super G or downhill, participants showed significant progress from their first to last outings at the camp.   

“Sunshine, perfectly prepared slopes, and excellent organization enabled a training camp at the absolute top level,” said coach and coordinator Osi Inglin.   

“Young speed skiers from smaller ski nations were able to gain valuable experience and realize their potential.”   

Attendees were also able to witness firsthand how a successful outfit works, trains, and operates with the camp held close to where the Swiss women’s downhill team were training.  

Such an experience is invaluable for up-and-coming hopefuls, sparking true inspiration for their own journey.  

Of those involved, a total of 14 were athletes—five male and nine female—with a further five coaches.   

With World Cup-level slopes at their disposal, skiers left the camp with new techniques, greater stability, and technical precision.   

It served as another reminder of just how resourceful development camps can be, acting as a facilitator for National Ski Associations (NSAs) of all statuses to come together and work towards common goals. 

Around the same time last month, a cross-country camp was held in Val di Fiemme, Italy.  

40 highly motivated participants, 26 athletes and 14 coaches, were joined by three FIS experts between 9-17 September.  

The aim of the camp was to offer skiers an opportunity to improve their classic and freestyle technique, provide coaches with a chance to improve their knowledge and training methodology, and importantly allow everything to socialize and share their own experiences.  

Across the camp, approximately 24 hours were spent doing hands-on training with 50 percent of this coming on roller skis in a bid to improve technique. 

“This is my third time at a [development] camp; what motivated me to come back is the good experience in training and the chance to meet a lot of new people and learn new things,” Serbian skier Andrija Tosic told FIS.  

Mariana Cabrita, an athlete who hails from Portugal, said: “The camp helped me get into routine for technical training and motivated me for the future.”  

From the motivation of everyone involved to learn and develop, to the collaboration of all attendees, it made for another successful camp.  

Icelandic coach Snorri Eythor Einarsson shared this sentiment, expressing his gratitude for the different knowledge shared and lessons learned across the eight days.  

“My experience was really good, we learned a lot all week,” he expressed.  

“We saw FIS Camp coaches explain things in different ways and it was interesting to share different points of view.  

“It was also very useful for me and the other coaches; the experience will be a great inspiration to become a better coach.”  

Camp coordinator, Alberto Rigoni, took pride in yet another perfectly executed development event, concluding: “Val di Fiemme is the perfect location for the Cross-Country training camp.”