The FIS Council Meeting in Dubrovnik, Croatia in
June saw a key personnel change in the Nordic Combined
Committee. Council Member Roman Kumpost (CZE) who
headed the Nordic Combined Committee on an interim
basis for the last three years handed over the reigns
to Horst Huttel (GER). Fisnc.com sat down with the
new man at the helm of the committee to ask a few
questions.
What were the most important factors in your decision
to become the chairman of the Nordic Combined Committee?
Horst Hu"ttel: I’ve been involved in Nordic
Combined for the past 30 years. I was a Nordic Combined
athlete and now work as the Sports Director for
Nordic Combined and Ski Jumping in the German Ski
Association. I was able to get a lot of things moving
in Nordic Combined in Germany and now I'd like to
do my part on an international level. To work on
a national level is only one part of the equation.
There are many things decided at a FIS level and
I would like to work on those in a positive manner.
I have followed the work of the Nordic Combined
Committee quite closely the last few years and was
in contact with Roman Kumpost and Gu"nter Csar,
the Chairman of the Sub-Committee for Rules, Officials
and Control. This will help me understand what is
required in committee work.
What do you think is essential work for the Nordic
Combined Committee?
Hu"ttel: I will get to know all of it now,
won't I (laughs)! The bottom line is forming partnerships
to get to the best decisions for the future of Nordic
Combined. I want to have a positive impact on the
competitions and the general development of the
sport. Nordic Combined has to develop and establish
its place in the big winter sports family.
What are your goals for your term as Chairman?
Hu"ttel: A lot. One area will be competition
formats, for sure. We need to find a clear position
in the next one or two years that we can stick to
and say: ‘This is our way now.’ The second focus
is to have an attractive calendar. It's very important
for the image of the sport to have competitions
all over the world. I will also aim to have a platform
for all of the good ideas coming from the outside.
People have good ideas for Nordic Combined and FIS
can profit from that.
An upcoming highlight of Nordic Combined is the
new Weekend Challenge. What's your opinion on the
event and the results of the test run at the Summer
Grand Prix?
Hu"ttel: It has the potential to be the highlight
of the World Cup calendar. The test during summer
wasn’t 100% easy because we had to do it in two
venues. In winter, we'll only have one venue. The
basic idea with three competitions on three days
is set. I also think the one jump, 5 km Prologue
on Day 1 and the one jump, 10 km Individual Gundersen
on Day 2 are fixed. How Day 3 will look like is
something we need to discuss in the responsible
governing bodies and with experts like Race Director
Lasse Ottesen and Sub-Committee Chairman Gu"nter
Csar. But the response of the audience on site has
been great and I definitely see the chance that
this will enrich our World Cup calendar immensely.
Horst Hu"ttel (45) is currently Sports Director
for Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined in the German
Ski Association. From 1992-2006, he worked as a
coach at each level of the sport before ascending
to Sports Director of Nordic Combined in 2006 and
from 2008 onward for Nordic Combined and Ski Jumping.
He lives in the Northern-Bavarian town of Wunsiedel,
together with his wife and his two children Sophie,
12 and Simon, 14, who is also a Nordic Combined
athlete.