FIS Alpine Ski World Cup
The FIS Alpine Ski World Cup is the top international circuit of alpine skiing competitions, launched in 1966 by a group of ski racing friends and experts. It was soon backed by International Ski Federation president Marc Hodler, and became an official FIS event in the spring of 1967. The first World Cup ski race was held in Berchtesgaden, West Germany, on January 5, 1967.
The World Cup is held annually, and is considered the premier competition for alpine ski racing after the quadrennial Winter Olympics. Many consider the World Cup to be a more valuable title than the Olympics or the biennial World Championships, since it requires a competitor to ski at an extremely high level in several disciplines throughout the season, and not just in one race.
The International Ski Federation (FIS) is the governing body for international skiing and snowboarding, founded in 1924 during the first Olympic Games in Chamonix, France.