Olympic excitement at the heart of the 46th Forum Nordicum in Val di Fiemme

The anticipation for the Winter Olympic Games Milano-Cortina 2026 took center stage at the 46^th edition of the Forum Nordicum, the annual meeting point for journalists and media representatives covering Nordic skiing sports.

The group gathered between 16 and 19 September in Val di Fiemme, culminating with the FIS Nordic Summer Festival, which features the Nordic Combined and Ski Jumping Summer Grand Prix as well as the Roller Ski World Cup competitions.

A central highlight of the four-day gathering was once again the FIS Day, in which the Race Directors of all three Nordic disciplines, along with FIS Communications Director Bruno Sassi, presented updates on sport development, media pathways, and communication strategies.

Lasse Ottesen, Race Director Nordic Combined, reflected on a highly successful past season that featured the women’s large hill premiere and the World Championships in Trondheim. He also drew a positive conclusion of “The Overlooked”, Nordic Combined’s exclusive behind-the-scenes documentary series, and outlined upcoming changes such as equal overall prize money for men and women starting from the 2025/26 season.

In addition, Ottesen emphasized sustainability projects like “Combined for Change”, presented by Viessmann, and announced the men’s Ski Flying premiere in Kulm (AUT).

Michal Lamplot, Race Director Cross-Country, highlighted objectives for the 2025/26 season, including a stronger focus on event creation. He also noted the 20th anniversary of the Tour de Ski, with the new special Tour de Ski format - heat mass start, alongside minor calendar adjustments.

Sandro Pertile, Race Director Ski Jumping, presented updates on equipment and ongoing calendar planning, with one of the highlights being the women’s Ski Flying premiere in Planica (SLO).

Looking ahead, all Race Directors spoke about preparations for the Olympic Winter Games in Milano-Cortina 2026. Forum members were also able to visit the Olympic venues, including the brand-new Ski Jumping hills in Predazzo and the Cross-Country stadium in Tesero.