FIS and Velocity Ski League partner to grow Nordic Combined

The International Ski and Snowboard Federation and the newly established Velocity Ski League (VSL) are pleased to announce the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), marking the beginning of a collaborative partnership aimed at supporting the continued growth and evolution of Nordic Combined. 
 
The Velocity Ski League is a new global competition series featuring six coed teams of elite Nordic Combined athletes competing across multiple events. Each event combines an individual competition and a mixed-team competition, bringing together the world's top men and women in a format designed to showcase both the tradition and excitement of Nordic Combined while creating new opportunities for athlete storytelling and fan engagement. 

The agreement represents a declaration of future cooperation and a shared commitment to strengthening Nordic Combined at all levels of the sport through creating new opportunities for athletes, fans, partners, and future generations of participants. 

Far from being a competing product, the league is designed to amplify the visibility and reach of Nordic Combined, helping introduce one of winter sport's most demanding and captivating disciplines to new audiences around the world. 

Building on a rich legacy 

Nordic Combined holds a unique place in winter sports history. Combining the courage and precision of Ski Jumping with the endurance and tactical demands of Cross-Country skiing, it has long been regarded as the ultimate test of winter athleticism. 

As the discipline continues to evolve, FIS and VSL share a belief that innovation, storytelling, and fan engagement can help unlock new opportunities while preserving the traditions and values that have defined the sport for generations. 

The Velocity Ski League will focus on creating new ways for fans to connect with athletes, teams, and competitions, while complementing the existing pathways and competitions that form the foundation of international Nordic Combined. 

Creating new opportunities for athletes 

The founders of Velocity Ski League built this project around a simple principle: put athletes and the sports first.

Olympic Champion Billy Demong, a co-founder of the league, sees VSL as an opportunity to expand the sport’s reach while reducing some of the traditional barriers to innovation.

“The league takes on the financial responsibility for venues and operations, which frees us to experiment and deliver new experiences without placing the burden on athletes or volunteer infrastructure. That independence allows our sport to grow on its own terms.”

Demong views the league as a direct extension of Nordic Combined’s global ambitions and a concrete step toward connecting the world’s best athletes with the audiences they have earned.

Building a sustainable, Athlete-centered model

Jon Voigtman, Co-Founder of the Velocity Ski League, believes that sustainable league building requires putting the sport and its athletes at the center of every structural decision. 

Voigtman also highlights the league’s focus on building stronger connections between athletes and supporters.

“Fans follow sports because they connect with athletes and their stories. Nordic Combined already commands a deeply passionate fan base. The World Championships confirmed that the demand is real and substantial. Our work is building the commercial model that sustains and grows that community. ”

FIS: Fully supportive of the initiative 

For FIS, the partnership represents another important step in the long-term development of Nordic Combined. 

FIS Nordic Combined Race Director Lasse Ottesen welcomed the initiative and underlined the federation's commitment to supporting new ideas that can help the discipline grow, particularly in the development of women's Nordic Combined.  

"We have worked hard to develop the sport and create opportunities for women. The journey began with important milestones at the FIS level and continued with the inclusion of women's Nordic Combined at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in 2021. We are also looking forward to seeing women compete in the Olympic Games in the future." 

Looking ahead, he sees the Velocity Ski League as a valuable addition to the sport's ecosystem. 

"We hope to see a major boost in development”, Ottesen emphasized. “The most important thing for the next century is bringing children into the sport. Creating that legacy requires reaching new audiences and new markets, and this is one of the ways we can achieve that. We are very happy to support this project." 

The signing of the Memorandum of Understanding marks an important milestone in the creation of the Velocity Ski League.  
 
Working together, FIS and VSL aim to build a new platform for Nordic Combined that complements the existing competition structure while helping the sport reach new audiences around the world.