After the second edition of the FIS Tour de Ski, the Viessmann FIS World Cup Cross-Country season 2007/2008 will end with another season highlight: the FIS World Cup Final, carried out as a type of a ‘Mini Tour’. “This is a newly introduced competition series within the World Cup, designed to make the Final more attractive and to conclude the World Cup season with exciting fights for the overall World Cup trophy”, explained Jürg Capol, FIS Race Director Cross-Country.

The Final will include three races within three days, from Friday, 14th to Sunday, 16th March, on the rebuilt competition courses in Santa Catarina (ITA), located 13 kilometres from Bormio. A prologue race in the free technique will kick off the Final, followed by a mass start race in the classical technique and a handicap start competition in the free technique.

The rules were adapted from the FIS Tour de Ski rules. An athlete will have to compete in all the races making up the FIS World Cup Final. Bonus seconds will be awarded at pre-defined intermediate points in the first and second race, and the result of the Final will be based on the overall time score in all three races. The prize money for the Final amounts to 240.000 CHF (men and ladies together), and FIS World Cup points will only be awarded after the first race (Sprint World Cup and World Cup points as usual) and after the last race according to the final standings of the three races (with a factor of 2 which means that the winner will get 200 points).

The Cross-Country Final promises to very interesting: The leading athletes in the overall ranking are currently very close and a lot can still happen until the Final but especially during the ‘Mini Tour’ at the end. Come and join us at the exciting FIS World Cup Finals 2008!

Source: FIS