The top Alpine skiing competition is back! The FIS Ski World Cup will kick off later this month (October 26) and conclude on March 25 next year. The 97-time World Cup winner Mikaela Shiffrin will soon be back in action, and fans can’t wait to see what she has in store for this upcoming season. An MCL injury ended her pursuit of a century of World Cup wins in the 2023-24 season, and Shiffrin will undoubtedly go for the historic feat this time around. But her seminal career goal wouldn’t be the only thing to make this year’s tournament one for the books.

The FIS Ski World Cup will bring the world’s most passionate skiing enthusiasts to Solden, Austria in a few weeks as the top skiers compete to fulfill their quest for the crystal globe. But the stakes have never been greater than this time. Along with promising high-octane maneuvers, the event is also stepping up its game when it comes to giving back to the world.

Learn about the major sponsors of Mikaela Shiffrin-starrer FIS Ski World Cup 2024

Shiffrin, arguably the greatest Alpine skier of all time, will be back in her element in just a few days. With the prize that beckons her, fans believe Shiffrin will go all in to become the first skiing legend to cross the mind-boggling threshold. Keeping parity with the high expectations, the tournament will also partner up with some of the biggest names from various industries to make sure Shiffrin’s achievement doesn’t go uncelebrated.

In recent decades, Audi’s commitment to international winter sports has only become more firmly embedded within the company’s culture. For 22 years, Audi has remained the steady sponsor of the FIS Ski World Cup and has extended their deal up to 2026. Audi’s Wind Tunnel Center in Ingolstadt also gives skiers a state-of-the-art infrastructure to train, furthering the company’s dedication to helping Alpine skiing reach greater exposure.

Along with Audi, Viessmann, one of the world’s leading efficient and renewable energy solution-providing companies, is also a FIS title sponsor of the Nordic Combined & Ski Jumping chapters. “We create living spaces for generations to come,” is the purpose that fuels Viessmann’s activities, and they remain one of its staunchest supporters in making Alpine skiing an illustrious affair.

On September 6, CHiQ also signed a deal with the FIS World Cup Events and the German Ski Association (DSV) to strengthen its footprint in the skiing community. Two-time Olympic gold medalist, and winner of two gold medals at the FIS Ski Jumping World Cup, Andreas Wellinger will be ChiQ’s brand ambassador. 

Le Gruyere AOP started its partnership with the FIS Ski World Cup in the 2015-16 season and will continue its collaboration this year as well. Eye-care brand HYLO will be the presenting partner FIS Ski Jumping World Cup, while Longines will be the official timekeepers and scoring partners for the tournament, respectively. The list goes on and more popular brands will also be part of the journey. The collaborative venture will also beef up its efforts in protecting the environment.

Ahead of the FIS Ski World Cup, FIS and WMO join hands for a good cause

In recent decades, climate change has become a predominant issue in every international political, social, or any other convention. To tackle the problem, the FIS has joined hands with the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) to announce a new partnership to address how climate change affects winter sports and tourism. The collaboration, starting ahead of the 2024-25 winter season, marks the first time a UN agency has partnered with a sports federation to combat environmental challenges.

FIS President Johan Eliasch acknowledges that climate change is an existential threat to winter sports. On the other hand, WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo emphasizes that the impacts of reduced snow and ice extend far beyond sports, affecting ecosystems, and communities, while also affecting economies as a whole. In the last season alone, as many as 26 World Cup races were canceled due to weather adversities. The partnership will aim to implement science-backed initiatives to reduce the carbon footprint of winter sports.

For the upcoming season, the Norwegian Ski Federation, for example, has called for races to be organized in geographic clusters in order to reduce long-distance travel and the need for flights. As a skiing fan, it is hearty to see such endeavors being called up to protect the earth and its environment, but only time will tell its realistic impacts on our blue planet.