As always in summer, some rules and innovations
will also be established resp. tested during the
20th FIS Grand Prix, that starts in Hinterzarten.
An innovation that is mentioned in the rules under
point 422.1 will be of special interest:
… "A Trainer/Coach is entitled to reduce the
length of in-run for his respective athlete. This
has to be announced within the red phase of the
starting procedure of the athlete concerned. In
such a case, the gate compensation factor is only
calculated, if the athlete jumps at least 95 % of
the HS distance."
In plain language, this means that after the inrun
length was reduced by himself or his coach, an athlete
will only get the bonus points if he reaches at
least 95 % of the HS distance with his next jump.
This new rule is another step of the FIS in the
direction of making sure that a coach or an athlete
only decide to reduce the inrun length for safety
reasons and not as a tactical measure.
In addition there are also some minor modifications
concerning the equipment:
The suit must be close-fitting in any part of the
body. The measured circumference of any upstretched
part of the suit must not exceed the respective
body measurement.
Exceptions are:
- to accommodate the fit of the suit around the
boot with a maximum tolerance of 10 cm This tolerance
may start from the close-fitted part below the knee
with a transition to the bottom hem of the leg panel.
- to accommodate the fit of the suit around the
glove with a maximum tolerance of 4 cm. This tolerance
is given for the last 10 cm of the sleeve.
Last season there were discussions repeatedly about
the tolerance and the fixing of the gloves to the
sleeves.