The old men of the Federation Internationale du Ski got together in Christchurch, New Zealand in early May to check on the state of world snow sports.

The event, officially known as the Congress of the International Ski Federation, happens every two years and includes over 100 voting delegates from more than 60 member nations.

When FIS last met they accepted snowboarding as a "discipline" of skiing even though no one from the snowboard world asked them to. This year they've conceded that snowboarding should be "treated as a new snowsport by the FIS."

In another move that seemed painfully obvious to anyone who hasn't undergone a lobotomy, the FIS, at the direction of FIS President Marc Hodler, "took its most significant steps in history to recognize the importance of athletes in the governance of their sport," a US Skiing press release said.

Yes, they're allowing athletes to be members of several FIS committees. Does the word "duh" mean anything to the FIS board. Please. It's hard to believe that in it's 70-plus year history this is the first time that the athletes have had any say in the FIS organization.

The changes in athlete representation, however, are especially important when it comes to snowboarding. And, the FIS board and membership did their best to be cool about the new sport--considering their record this is a major achievement. Here's a run down of moves the FIS made related to snowboarding:

ISF SEEDED IN WORLD CUP

ISF riders and FIS riders will share equal seeding positions in the top 30 in FIS World Cup events, which permits the best riders from both circuits to compete together in FIS World Cups.

US GRAND PRIX TOUR ACCEPTED

The planned three-event US Grand Prix Snowboard Tour, open to all competitors, received support from the FIS. The three-event tour will take place in late-December/early-January.

SNOWBOARD ELIGIBILITY

Direction from the Eligibility Committee to continue to pursue exceptions and an openness to eligibility in snowboarding as a new sport and to actively maintain open competitions to ensure the best possible riders in the Olympics, and to recognize snowboarding as a 'new' snowsport of the FIS.

NEW EVENTS

BoarderCross and super G were both added as official events and both will be a part of the 1997 FIS Grundig Snowboard World Cup and the 1997 World Snowboard Championships in San Candido/Innichen, Italy.

MINIMUM AGE

The minimum age for FIS events is: 15 for alpine; 13 for halfpipe; 15 for super G and BoarderCross.

JUDGES CLINIC

A halfpipe judges clinic and competition will be held June 27-29 at Mt. Hood Meadows, OR. The competition will include both BoarderCross and halfpipe (open competition).

We'll find out what all this means as the season progresses.