The FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 2009 () took place 18 February – 1 March 2009 in Liberec, Czech Republic. This was the fourth time these championships were hosted either in the Czech Republic or in Czechoslovakia, having done so at Janské Lázně (1925) and Vysoké Tatry (in both 1935 and 1970).
The biggest sports event in the country's history, it hosted 589 athletes from 61 countries. Women's ski jumping and Men's Nordic combined 10 km mass start events debuted at these championships, both won by Americans Lindsey Van and Todd Lodwick, respectively. Estonia's Andrus Veerpalu became the oldest gold medalist at 38 when he won gold in the men's 15 km event.
Norway won the most medals with twelve and most golds with five, all in the men's cross-country skiing events, including three from Petter Northug. Germany finished second in the total medal count with nine though none of them were gold (eight silver and one bronze). Finland finished third in the medal count with eight with three golds, all from Aino-Kaisa Saarinen in women's cross-country skiing.
Fourth in total medal count, but second in gold medal count was the United States with six, including four golds, who prior to these championships, had won only three medals in all of the previous championships combined, including four medals in Nordic combined (Lodwick: two golds, Bill Demong: one gold and one bronze). Kikkan Randall became the first American woman to win a medal in cross country skiing at the world championships with her silver in the individual sprint.
Besides the debut of women's ski jumping at these championships, the big winner in the jumping events was Austria with three medals and two each for Wolfgang Loitzl and Gregor Schlierenzauer. Adding the 10 km mass start, the Nordic combined format was changed from 7.5 km sprint and 15 km individual Gundersen to 10 km individual large hill (aka Large hill Gundersen) and 10 km individual normal hill (aka Normal hill Gundersen), respectively.
Despite concern over the lack of snowfall that plagued event preparation prior to the championships, the championships themselves had an abundance of snowfall and wind that caused the ski jumping part of the Nordic combined mass start to be postponed for a day and the ski jumping individual large hill competition to be limited to one jump.
Attendance was between 180,000 and 200,000, twice the number at the previous championships in Sapporo, but 35 to 40 percent lower than the 2005 championships in Oberstdorf. FIS President Gian Franco Kasper commented at the closing ceremonies of the 15 nations earning medals at these championships, along with the successes of the television coverage by Czech TV and the success of the women's ski jumping at these championships would pave the way for inclusion into the 2014 Winter Olympics. A broadcast report from the European Broadcasting Union released on 4 June 2009 had total viewership of 666 million global viewers, higher than that of the 2005 championships and the 2001 championships.
Competition format changes The initial schedule for the competition was approved at the FIS Council meeting in Portorož, Slovenia during the weekend of 25–28 May 2007. Women's ski jumping became an official event for the first time at these championships on the normal hill which took place 20 February. This was approved at the May 2006 FIS Congress in Vilamoura, Portugal. Cross country skiing events had its classical interval start events adjusted to include a 5 km qualification event for women and a 10 km qualification for men for the women's 10 km and men's 15 km event with the top 20 finishers in each qualification advancing to the main events. These events took place 18–20 February. Nordic combined had the greatest changes in it schedule with the debut of the 10 km mass start that was also approved at the 2006 Congress in Vilamoura, and the replacement of the 7.5 km sprint and 15 km individual Gundersen events with two separate 10 km individual events. The first event, replacing the 15 km Gundersen, was a single jump from the individual normal hill followed by a 10 km cross country event using the Gundersen system while the second event, replacing the 7.5 km sprint, was a single jump from the individual large hill followed by a 10 km cross country event also using the Gundersen system. The Nordic combined changes were approved at an autumn seasonal meeting in Zürich, Switzerland, the week of 29 September 2008. Other changes listed in the ski jumping part of the Nordic combined team event was only one jump and being listed was the point-time differential at 1 point equaling 1.33 seconds.
History
2004 – June 2007 The host of the 2009 World championships was awarded at the 2004 FIS Congress in Miami, Florida, USA on 3 June 2004. The opposing candidate city to Liberec was Oslo, Norway. Norwegian Ski President Sverre Seeberg stated to the Norwegian press before the voting started that he "thought it would be a close call, but not as close for FIS President Kasper to use his deciding vote." The fact this was the fourth time in a row that Liberec applied for the championships, and that it was almost 40 years since it last was arranged in Eastern Europe (1970 in Vysoké Tatry, Czechoslovakia) might give Liberec an advantage, according to Seeberg.
Liberec was selected 11–4 over Oslo, and since there were 17 FIS members, Kasper did not vote. Seeberg was ineligible to vote, even though he served in place of the late Jan Jensen. The Oslo committee quickly announced after the loss that they would apply for the 2011 championships, which they got awarded two years later.
Prior to being awarded the World championships in 2004, Liberec had hosted a total of 40 cross country skiing, Nordic combined, and ski jumping competitions though it had not hosted a cross country World Cup event by June 2005. At a 24–25 May 2005 meeting, a report was given by the Liberec committee to the FIS race directors on course inspection, including layout of the courses. On 10 May 2006, a coordination group meeting was held led by Roman Kumpošt, the first organizing committee chair, regarding venue construction, television production, and construction within Liberec itself in preparation for the championships. A coordination meeting took place in Liberec 18–19 April 2007 to discuss venue information and event preparation.
July – December 2007 Czech cross country skier and six-time Winter Olympic medalist Kateřina Neumannová was originally an honorary vice president of the organizing committee. On 25 July 2007, Neumannová was appointed as the new president of the organizing committee as approved by the organizing committee, replacing Kumpošt. She also served as a World Cup organizer for the second of the Tour de Ski events that took place in Prague on 30 December 2007. During the week of 13 August 2007, a delegation visited the FIS headquarters in Oberhofen, Switzerland and met with FIS President Kasper. This delegation included Liberec Mayor Jiří Kittner, Organizing Committee Secretary Marek Rejman, Czech Ski Association President Lukáš Sobotka, and its General Secretary Norbert Pelc, and all four confirmed the work toward the sites used for the championships were proceeding as planned with test events that occurred in February 2008. Financing issues for the event were also clarified. The next scheduled update occurred at the FIS Autumn Meeting in Zürich during the week of 24 September 2007. Progress was given by Organizing President Neumannová and Executive Director Marek Rejman while at Zürich, including updates on the venues (shown in the next section), and focused on the sports organization (including the technical directors); and the marketing and promotion of the test events. Liberec had also confirmed their support of the governmental financing for the university campus which served as the village for the teams in 2009.
2008 FIS President Kasper stated that the first test weekend of 8–9 February 2008 "went well" in terms of sports organization. Kasper also expressed concerns about the cost for accommodation for skiing officials and media for the upcoming events. A spring coordination meeting was held the week of 7 April 2008 that discussed preparations for the event. Among the participants were FIS, the EBU, and marketing partner APF, whom focused on lessons learned from the test events held in February 2008. Coordination group members were pleased in what transpired during the February 2008 test events, including an athletes' village that was constructed at the local university. Final competition schedule was confirmed by the FIS Council in its May 2008 meeting in Cape Town, followed by a final inspection on 13 October 2008. Following the final inspection that day, a six-hour press conference was held on the status of preparations. Detailed reports were given on the test events held in February 2008 and the lessons learned from them. FIS President Kasper expressed his support of the organizing committee's efforts to present the best championships ever. Neumannová stated that the cross country skiing facility at Vesec was ready while the ski jumping facility at Ještěd was ready in the fall once construction of the access road and surrounding area was complete. The main concern of Neumannová's was the weather given the problems with the test events in February and the need for snow making equipment. The Czech government gave the organizing committee an additional CZK 189 million (€ 7.3 million) in financial support. At the end of 2008, the championships were the biggest sports event in the history of the Czech Republic. On 16 December 2008, FIS Secretary General Lewis, FIS Event and Sponsor Manager Niklas Carlsson, Neumannová, and other key Organizing Committee staff met to discuss promotional activities for the event, including ceremonies, social events, and the accreditation system. That same day, an entire inspection of the team village took place at the Technical University of Liberec where the entire complex was renovated. The students at the university left at the end of January 2009 for the teams to arrive on campus in mid-February.
2009 As of 21 January 2009, there were a total of 600 competitors from 59 nations, both Championship records. Neumannová stated that the area had about of snow at both testing areas. She also stated that Czech representatives had tested both Ještěd and Vesec and were satisfied with both areas. Free public transportation in Liberec and tram transfers from the neighboring town of Jablonec nad Nisou were organized.
Doping programs that were successful at the previous World Championships in Sapporo continued with 78 EPO and 430 blood testing on athletes in 1–15 February period prior to the 2009 championships. 450 pre-competition blood tests were conducted with the top four finishers plus two randomly selected athletes of each event, totalling 120 for the championships. These tests were conducted by the Czech National Anti-Doping Agency with assistance of the World Anti-Doping Agency. Testing costs for the program were CHF 1.5 million.
As of 25 February, a total of 90,000 spectators had attended the championships. Prior to the championships, there was concern of the lack of snowfall during the championships. During the championships, there was continuing snowfall. On 23 February, Czech Republic Senate Parliament chair Přemysl Sobotka presented FIS President Kasper with a silver commemorative medal of the Senate for his merits in the development of world skiing. Kasper lead the FIS delegation to this ceremony that took place in Liberec with Sobotka which included FIS officials and representative of all 61 teams. Included in this delegation were Milan Jirasek, FIS Council Member and Chair of the Czech Olympic Committee, and Neumannová.
Media accreditation and television coverage