The International Ski Federation has decided on a new event. Moreover, they have removed the relays from the World Cup in winter.
The competition organizers do not want relays, they go very fast and the interest from the audience is lukewarm. Moreover, there are quite few nations that can have full teams of four skiers, says national team coach Anders Byström during the Swedish Olympic Committee's camp for winter athletes on Crete.
We want to keep the relay, it's a classic. But the risk is that it's living on borrowed time, since neither organizers nor some other nations want to keep it. But that's in the long run.
The relays will be held as usual in the Olympic Games next year and in the World Championship in Falun 2027. But thereafter, there might be a question mark.
It would be very negative for the sport. It's the only opportunity when we can compete as a team. We do quite a lot together, are on camps and are out the whole World Cup season. To get to do something that really unites us, that's something extra, says ski star Ebba Andersson.
"Many memories"
She was part of taking the World Championship gold in relay in Trondheim last winter. William Poromaa was part of taking bronze in the men's relay. He also wants to keep the relays in the championships.
That relays disappear from the championships, I want to believe is far off considering how many memories that come from relays and how much they have meant for us who follow cross-country and care about it ourselves, says he.
During Tour de Ski, which is held around New Year's, a new event will be introduced. It involves dividing the skiers into heats and skiing five kilometers. Then, everyone's times are counted and the one with the fastest time.
They want to twist it a little, get in something new for the audience and TV viewers, says Byström.
Where is the limit?
Both Andersson and Poromaa question the new event.
I've been involved in the sport for quite a few years and when I feel that I have trouble understanding, how will TV viewers then react? asks Poromaa.
My question is where the limit goes to alter too much. If you change too much, people will eventually get tired.
Ebba Andersson says she doesn't understand the purpose of the new event.
We'll see if the proposal holds all the way to the tour or if there will be a certain modification to it, says she.
The decision on the competition program was made earlier in the week by the technical committees, but must be finally approved by the FIS Congress in June.
