Combined or parallel? Combined and parallel? The International Ski Federation (FIS) has not yet decided definitively on the future of these two disciplines. “The working groups will work on this issue, it will be decided in spring,” says Michel Vion, FIS secretary general. “We will have recommendations and we will have to decide. “
Awaiting the FIS congress in May in Portugal, a team will be in the Olympic program – according to a calendar that has been established for four years – and a parallel in the World Cup, Saturday and Sunday in Lech-Zürs (Austria). What is the format of this version 2021-2022?
1. A parallel and that’s it
We are no longer talking about giant or parallel parallel slalom, but simply parallel. The skiers have giant skis and the space between the doors is between 16 and 20 meters. “It can be five meters shorter than a giant, with the same skis,” explains Thibaut Favrot. in February, before the World Cup. “It’s like turning super-G skis into really tight super-G skis. “
2. A “round trip” qualification before the race
Before the final phase of 16 skiers, a qualification system is installed, in two rounds, the same morning, on the competition track. The qualifying starting list is determined against the top 30 skiers on the World Cup (WCSL) starting list, then athletes with more than 500 WCSL points. Odd numbers in the red field in the first round, then in the blue field in the second qualifying round. Skiers who do not complete the first race (DNF, DNS, DSQ) cannot run the second race and only those who are classified in both races are qualified. If the total does not reach 16 athletes, it is the best time in a series that counts.
And in case of a tie? Earn the best time in a tie. Is it still equality? It is the tallest bib that ends in front.
In the event that only one round can be played, the best 8 of each course qualify for the final. In case of a tie, the highest number is classified.
One round qualification
But there can also be a single qualifying round, played on a different route than the afternoon race. Subtlety. There the 16 best are classified.
And if not, “in case of force majeure, the jury may decide to use another scoring method”, specify the FIS.
3. The race
16 skiers in the final phase, entered according to their qualifying result. Each duel is played in two rounds, one on the red field and one on the blue one.
The maximum penalty time, in the event of a fall, for example: 0.5 seconds.
The losers of the 1st round are classified from 9 to 16, in the total of the two sets.
In the event of a tie in the final or small final, the skiers are declared tied, as was the case during the women’s final of the Cortina World Cup.
4. Points
As for each stage of the World Cup, there are points to be added, but with only one stage in the program, without the scope of the specialty.
Skiers classified from 17 to 30 in qualifying points, between 1 and 14 (except in the case of qualifying for a round). The others will be distributed between 100 (1st) and 16 (16th) points for the general classification, the specialty classification and the nations classification.
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