Growth focus and 2029 ambitions headline Para Snow Sports Committee meeting

The FIS Para Snow Sports Committee convened in Portorož, Slovenia, on Thursday, 7 May, bringing together key stakeholders to review a successful 2025/26 season and define the strategic direction for the years ahead. Reports from the Para Alpine, Para Cross-Country and Para Snowboard sub-committees, which had met earlier in the week, were presented and endorsed, alongside forward-looking discussions on events, athlete development and long-term growth. 

Strong season across disciplines, with further growth targeted 

The Para Alpine sub-committee highlighted a highly successful 2025/26 campaign, featuring 21 World Cup races across five countries, with only one cancellation. The season was further underscored by a successful Paralympic Winter Games, while FIS-level competitions recorded an encouraging increase in athlete participation. Despite this progress, continued investment in athlete development remains a priority to sustain long-term growth. 

Looking ahead, the Para Alpine World Cup calendar for 2026/27 will expand to 24 races. The calendar was approved by the Committee and will now be submitted to the FIS Council for final approval. Preparations are also well underway for the 2027 World Championships in Tignes (FRA), with key officials, including the Technical Delegate and referees, confirmed. 

In Para Cross-Country, the 2025/26 season comprised three World Cup stages and 15 races. The discipline is focusing on strengthening its structural framework, introducing three new Advisory Groups dedicated to Roller Ski, Development, and Calendar. The 2026/27 calendar will grow to include four World Cup stages and an increased number of competitions, pending Council approval. Notably, Toblach (ITA) is set to host two new race formats, a Team Sprint and a Skiathlon, reflecting ongoing innovation within the sport. 

Para Snowboard reported a season of five World Cup stages and 11 competitions. While performance levels remain strong, the discipline continues to face challenges in recruiting new athletes at the grassroots level, particularly among women, which is essential for maintaining sustainable competition categories. 

The 2026/27 Para Snowboard World Cup will begin with two indoor events in Landgraaf (NED) and Neuss (GER), followed by established European stops in Lenk (SUI) and Kühtai (AUT), with Bardonecchia (ITA) added before the tour moves to North America. Plans for the 2027 World Championships are still under discussion.

Turin–Bardonecchia 2029 project presented 

The Committee received a comprehensive presentation from the Local Organizing Committee of the FIS Para Snow Sports World Championships 2029, which will bring together Para Alpine, Para Snowboard and Para Cross-Country in a single event. 

The concept builds on the legacy of the Milano-Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games, positioning Turin as the urban, cultural and ceremonial hub, while Bardonecchia will host the competition events. The project emphasizes accessibility and inclusivity across the region. 

Proposed dates fall in the second half of February 2029 to ensure optimal snow conditions. A preliminary competition schedule has been drafted and will undergo further evaluation. 

A structured test event program has also been outlined: 

• 2027: Para Alpine World Cup Finals and Para Snowboard World Cup and Europa Cup events 

• 2028: Para Snowboard World Cup Finals, alongside Para Alpine and Para Cross-Country World Cup competitions 

The Opening Ceremony is planned for Turin, with the Closing Ceremony to take place in Bardonecchia. 

Athlete and coach perspectives 

Athlete and coach representatives provided valuable feedback to the Committee. Adam Hall (NZL), reporting on behalf of the Athletes Focus Group, praised the efforts of FIS in significantly enhancing digital visibility during the past season, contributing to stronger global engagement. 

From the Coaches Advisory Group, Falco Teitsma (NED) reviewed the first four-year cycle of the group’s work. While acknowledging progress, he highlighted the need to refine the structure of the advisory group and the appointment process, with a view to assigning greater responsibilities and increasing its impact.

Operational plan positions Para Snow Sports for future growth 

A key highlight of the meeting was the presentation of the Para Snow Sports Operational Plan by Committee Chair Stefan Arnhold (BRA) and Matt Hallat (CAN). The plan outlines a comprehensive business model aimed at positioning Para Snow Sports as a core, high-growth and high-impact pillar within FIS. 

The strategy is built around three central pillars: 

1. Sport governance and delivery, strengthening the global competition system 

2. Inclusion and impact, reinforcing the Paralympic pathway 

3. Commercial and media growth, unlocking new opportunities for visibility and revenue 

The plan identifies several core value drivers, including the elite competition pathway from World Cup to World Championships and Paralympic Games, the sport’s strong storytelling potential, and its role in supporting the development of emerging nations. 

Five strategic focus areas were defined: 

• Growth and visibility 

• Athlete pathway and performance 

• Commercialization 

• Event excellence 

• Sustainability and legacy 

At the same time, key challenges were acknowledged, such as limited commercial maturity, high operational costs per athlete, and the complexity of classification systems. However, strong enablers were identified, including the integration within the FIS structure, the strength of the Paralympic brand, and increasing demand for ESG-driven sponsorships. 

The overall conclusion is clear: Para Snow Sports is transitioning from a development-focused discipline into a commercially viable, globally visible, and strategically essential component of FIS. 

Advancing classification and adaptive sport science 

The Committee also received an update on classification, with a focus on adaptive equipment and the development of evidence-based systems. 

Dr. Iain Dutia presented ongoing work to establish code-compliant minimum impairment criteria for FIS Para Snow Sports. The initiative aims to evolve classification from current best practices towards a more robust, evidence-based approach, initially focusing on physical impairments. 

The methodology includes three concurrent Delphi studies involving panels of classifiers, athletes and coaches, as well as administrators and researchers, ensuring a comprehensive and inclusive process.