International Ski Mountaineering Federation steps in a new era

Armando MariottaOn Saturday, 18.6.2011 the international federation of skimountaineering ISMF is inviting it’s member federations to the annual Plenary assembly in Barcelona/Spain. After 4 years, the election of the board is pending and good feelings are dawning.

The international federation of skimountaineering is existing since 1988 in different stages of development, since 2007 it is incorporated as ISMF (International Skimountaineering Federation) as totally independent association. In the past years, the growing of international relations to sport organizations such as WADA, SPORTACCORD and IOC had priority, as well as spreading the ideas and values of skimountaineering all over the world. Nowadays 30 member countries run app. 500 races a year on 4 continents and a fast growing community of races is showing to performances at World Championships and in the World Cup. The development is supported by a massive movement of public towards ski mountaineering – sports business is rising up with more than +15% per year in this segment.

After the organizational consolidation took place, now the next big goal is heading out to Olympia. The essential waypoints of becoming more international and changing to a more market-oriented organization are well in mind of the proposed candidate for the future president of ISMF, Armando Mariotta from Cuneo / Italy. The 64 year old Italian is very experienced in the topic. He was already working on the founding of organizational structures in skimountaineering in the 1980’s and was the host of the 3rd World Championship in skimountaineering in Cuneo / Italy in 2006.

His international team, consisting of newbies as well as of experienced workers in the ISMF will try to bring skimountaineering competitions to a even better level than in present: „The status of the ISMF is very good by reason of the good work of the responsible persons in the past. The now upcoming tasks I plan to proceed with a new, powerful and innovative team. To make skimountaineering competitions a Olympic sports in 2018 resp. In 2022 the latest is the main goal. Therefore, the international opening process as well as the improvement of internal and external communication has absolute priority. Our sport is growing rapidly, and we have to use this positive wave in an appropriate way. I am sure, that the delegates of the ISMF member countries will tread this path with us and will vote in the right way. “

The colorful international team of Mariotta includes the former president Luis Lopez as treasurer as well as the German Tamara Schlemmer as chief of sports and the Norwegian Jon Dammann as head of marketing and communication.

A website regarding the election and the team of Armando Mariotta can be found at https://sites.google.com/site/ismf2011/.
Interview of Armando Mariotta about his candidature.