Day 4 - 51st FIS Congress in Costa Navarino (Greece)

The skiers and the social networks
Akito Watabe, Willi Denifl, Lukas Runggaldier, Günter Csar, Hans-Peter Pohl, Takanori Kono, Bernhard Gruber, Mario Seidl, Jason Lamy Chappuis, Mario Stecher, Bill Demong or Eric Frenzel – this is only a dozen names of current or former Nordic combined athletes I am friends with on Facebook. I also keep up with what is happening in the world of sports and Nordic combined through social networks.

However, from my own experience I must say that Nordic combined athletes are not the most prolific posters and bloggers, and this impression was objectively confirmed at the committee meeting as part of the FIS Congress in Costa Navarino, Greece. It was demonstrated that Nordic skiers stood out negatively among all other disciplines at the Olympic Winter Games: they were least active in social media. Bobsledders and luge athletes, curlers, and hockey players were more active, not to speak of alpine skiers, snowboarders, and ski jumpers. That is a pity, because Nordic combined is a great sport to which I devote my attention and love.

I think it's great that women are gaining more access to this 'men’s only' world and could deliver a successful test competition at the Junior World Championships in Kandersteg a few months ago. Television can show rising spectator numbers. The live stream of the COC event from Steamboat Springs also represented a step forward, and the new FIS-COC coordinator Michael Neumayer (2010 Olympic silver medalist in skiing with the team) will surely continue the positive trend. The Youth and Ladies program of Nordic skiers is envied by other FIS sports, it works so well. And FIS media coordinator Silke Tegethof is doing a great job in raising awareness for a fringe sport. In fact, Nordic combined gained followers on all channels last season: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.

Dear athletes, a sport becomes great when you devote yourselves completely to it. You offer something exceptional on jumps and cross-country trails – but you must also let the world know! With my starting-track systems I also create, in places, the best, fair and safe conditions on the hills in the World Cup for Nordic combined.
And the starting tracks are mega-fast too – so you athletes can post about your successes and achievements faster… :-) Deal?