FIS kickstarts the Development season with a successful summer camp and newly published activities calendar

With a new season on the snow fast approaching, FIS has kickstarted an exciting year of development activities with a summer camp held last month.

Split across the serene locations of Planica, Slovenia and Villach, Austria – between 13 and 19 July – young athletes participated in a thoroughly enjoyable week of training in Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined.

41 athletes and 16 coaches from nine National Ski Associations (NSAs), together with six experts from FIS, focused their time and efforts primarily on Ski Jumping hills and roller ski tracks.

They worked on all stages of the jump – including the inrun position, flight technique, and landing – demonstrating great motivation. Participants were open to feedback, working hard to improve both their skills and confidence.

Activities were varied and challenging, culminating in a final competition in Villach, held on the two larger Ski Jumping hills followed by a roller ski race. This allowed the young athletes to demonstrate their progress over the course of the week in a positive and competitive environment.

Of the several standout moments from the summer spectacle, having meet-and-greet session with Canadian Ski Jumper Nicole Maurer and Slovenian Nordic Combined athlete Gašper Brecl proved to be a real highlight.

Both attendees were very open with the athletes and coaches, sharing their honest experiences and providing personal insights into their careers, including challenges faced and motivation needed to pursue such ambitious goals. For the young cohort in attendance, it proved to be inspiring.

“There are many highlights from this camp,” said athlete Timur Gobozovi (GEO). “The flight training sessions were incredible. One of the best parts was meeting new people and making new friends from all over.”

For camp coordinator Berni Schödler, it was yet another successful outing as he watched participants blossom on a personal and sporting level.

“It is always extremely rewarding and inspiring to see how much the participants develop during this intensive week,” he told FIS. “Their progress is not limited to their athletic abilities. They also grow on a personal level, become more independent, take on responsibility, and learn how important mutual respect, teamwork, and support are in competitive sport.

This camp marks the start of a new year of development activities, all of which are available to view and sign up for on the FIS website. A new section added for the upcoming season, NSAs can directly see what camps are available for athletes and coaches.

Events across Alpine, Snowboard, and Nordic disciplines are clearly outlined with all relevant information and an invitation link that talks interested parties through the registration process.

Click here for all development camps on offer for the 2026/27 campaign.