FIS officials in IM for look at new Pine Mountain facilities

IRON MOUNTAIN -- Officials from FIS and USA Nordic recently were in Iron Mountain to survey progress on the upgraded facilities at Giant Pine Mountain.

Richard Kaiser, an Austrian who inspects jumping facilities, was in Iron Mountain to evaluate the new jump toward granting the accreditation necessary to continue hosting international competitions, including World Cup events, an official with the Kiwanis Ski Club said.

Club members were told that "things look excellent, very promising," said Susie Fox of the Kiwanis Ski Club. While some adjustments and further improvements will be needed, "I am not anticipating any issues" with the accreditation process, Fox said.

Other officials representing FIS included Sandro Pertille, race director, and Lasse Ottesen, the nordic combined race director. Representing USA Nordic were Chairman Tom Bickner, Chairman emeritus Rex Bell and Executive Director Billy Demong.

In addition to Iron Mountain, the officials visited venues in Ironwood, Mich.; Brattleboro, Vt.; Lake Placid, N.Y.; Eau Claire, Wis.; Steamboat Springs, Colo.; and Park City, Utah.

According to FIS officials, ski jumping and Nordic combined in North America are very important to the success of both the World Cup and Continental Cup tours.

To meet International Ski Federation standards and ensure the tournament's future, the Kiwanis have undertaken a more than $3 million renovation of the historic jump. This year's Continental Cup tournament was canceled due to pandemic restrictions. The tentative date for a 2022 event is Feb. 5-6.