Alpine skiing is losing one of its most recognisable behind-the-scenes figures on the eve of a new season. Markus Waldner is stepping down as chief race director of the men's World Cup, the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) announced on Thursday — barely two weeks before the traditional giant slalom opener in Sölden on October 24-25.
Twelve years running the men's tour
The 63-year-old South Tyrolean had held the role since 2014. Over that period Waldner became the federation's face on the men's circuit: the official who decided on delays, course changes and cancellations, who stood at the centre whenever conditions turned difficult, and who served as the first point of contact for athletes, coaches and organisers on the hill.
Waldner pointed to the strain of the job as the reason for his decision. Being responsible for alpine skiing at the highest level is a privilege, he said, but it is also a position that comes with enormous pressure. That pressure had built steadily over the years as FIS and the sport grew, and he said he no longer had the energy and mindset needed to approach another full season the way he would have wanted.
Gerdol steps in for both tours
FIS has an interim solution in place for the start of the winter. Peter Gerdol, the chief race director of the women's World Cup, will oversee races for both men and women in the opening phase of the season. The search for a permanent successor is already under way, and Waldner is expected to actively mentor and train whoever takes over, making 2026-27 a season of transition. According to Swiss broadcaster SRF, it remains unclear whether Waldner will continue with FIS in another capacity.
FIS alpine director Janne Leskinen paid tribute to Waldner, describing him as a fixture in the sport over the past 12 years and a guarantor of a strong FIS presence at the venues.
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The resignation lands in an already restless period for the governing body. Earlier this month FIS scrapped its plans for an additional World Championships in 2028, and Claude-Alain Schmidhalter stepped down as head of the organising committee for the 2027 World Championships in Crans-Montana after being indicted for fraud. Now the federation must also reorganise the on-site leadership of the men's tour at short notice, in a winter built around a World Championships in Switzerland, where decisions on the slopes will be scrutinised closely.
The race director's role has drawn growing attention in recent seasons. Debates over safety on downhill courses, crowded calendars and the conditions at early- and late-season races routinely end up with the person who has the final say on the mountain. Waldner moderated — and often personally absorbed — those debates for more than a decade.
For the athletes, little should change at the opener itself. Gerdol knows the processes from the women's tour, and Sölden is traditionally a shared weekend: the women race on the Rettenbach glacier on Saturday, October 24, followed by the men's giant slalom on Sunday, October 25. By the time the men's speed season gets going later in the autumn, FIS will be under pressure to name Waldner's long-term successor.
