The World Championships will in future be held every year instead of every other year, except in Olympic years. The surprising announcement came recently from the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (Fis).
This applies to Nordic skiing (cross-country skiing, ski jumping, Nordic combined), alpine skiing and freestyle sports including snowboarding.
“Not many NHL players want to come”
The decision has been criticized by cross-country skiers such as Ebba Andersson and Johannes Høsflot Klæbo. Swedish alpine skiers also give it a thumbs down.
Alpine skier Felix Monsén compares it with the World Cup, for example.
Just look at how it was last summer, everything was at stake. There should be something special about a World Cup. It's terrible for football to have it every four years. There's a risk that it won't be the same, says Monsén and continues:
It's still a bit special now that we have it every other year. If it becomes more frequent, you get the feeling that it's a World Cup competition, not so special.
Monsén believes that the charm is disappearing.
You think: oh I missed out on a medal, I can try again next year. Look at how the Hockey World Cup has turned out. Not many NHL players want to come because they get a new chance every year. It's eroding a bit.
Sara Hector thinks it's a difficult balance. On the one hand, a championship creates attention; on the other, it's a challenge to find a host nation.
"Maybe it's good that there isn't a World Cup every year because then the focus will be on the World Cup, which is also important. Then I think it will be difficult to find a country that can organize a World Cup. There is a risk that only big nations can afford and have the conditions for it," says Hector.
The bronze medalist: "I want to diss"
It is not clear when the new system will come into effect, but Fis has indicated that it could happen as early as 2028.
"The whole thing about the Olympics is that it's every four years and the World Cup every two. I don't think we should do it like biathlon," says Anna Swenn Larsson, who won bronze in slalom at last winter's Olympics.
Is there a risk that interest will decrease?
Yes, but alpine skiing is still big in Sweden, Switzerland and Austria, for example. But it must be special to win a World Cup gold medal, says Anna Swenn Larsson.
