FIS, Through FIS Academy Concludes 10 Year Commercial Partnership In China With IDG Sports For Operation Of “Get Into Snow Sports GISS-China”

FIS, through the FIS Academy has concluded a ten-year commercial partnership agreement in China with IDG Sports for the operation of the “Get Into Snow Sports GISS-China” Programme.

Get into Snow Sports (GISS), the official Skiing and Snowboarding education and certification programme created by FIS, was officially launched at the World Winter Sports Beijing Expo 2020 on 5th September. Officially endorsed by FIS and the Chinese Ski Association (CSA) and exclusively promoted by IDG Sports, GISS China aims to promote participation in the healthy recreation and sports of skiing and snowboarding. It forms part of a broad FIS strategy aimed at creating a sustainable, easy to access environment to encourage and enable many more active participants in snow sports worldwide.

Underpinned by the FIS Academy educational and training methodologies, GISS-China is committed to introduce children and youngsters in China to have a fun and safe introduction to skiing and snowboarding. The goal is to increase participation in the sport through improving the experience and knowledge of participants and instructors. GISS-China will promote skiing and snowboarding through grassroot training, events, social responsibility programmes, as well as high-quality content creation and distribution. 

IDG’s operational company, Changsha Shangxue Sports will handle the implementation of the programme including developing a campus course focused on Chinese schools to introduce more kids to snow sports.

FIS President, Gian Franco Kasper, stated “Get Into Snow Sports China GISS-China will undoubtedly serve an important role in developing safe snow sports in China and contribute towards the Chinese Government’s stated aim of introducing 300 million winter sports participants as a legacy for and from the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games. GISS-China is absolutely unique for anything that's on the market at the moment and will greatly extend the capacity and the potential of enabling children, youngsters and beginners to learn to ski and snowboard in a fun, enjoyable environment”.

Ms. Li Zhang, Vice President of IDG China, said of the partnership, “IDG Capital and IDG Sports are not only investors in the GISS-China Programme but also the exclusive operator and promoter, and have established a professional team within Changsha Shangxue Sports to carry out the Programme across China. We are committed to promoting the sustainable and stable development of snow sports and the snow industry in China in the long-term”.

GISS-China is a flagship initiative of FIS which, together with its partners, shares the ambition and confidence that the programme will play a key part in growing and sustaining the active snow sport family that currently exists in China and those that will enter the sports for the first time following the inspiration of the Beijing Games in 2022.