Switzerland's Marc Gini, left, and the Czech Republics Ondrej Bank competed in a parallel slalom race at last season's Nations Team Event during the World Cup finals in Germany. Alpine skiing will start next season with a new parallel-racing national team event on the glacier at Soelden, Austria.
The International Ski Federation agreed Thursday to add the event where 16 teams, each of two men and two women, compete in a knockout bracket, with two skiers racing side-by-side on giant slalom courses.
FIS scheduled the Friday event on Oct. 22, with traditional World Cup men's and women's giant slaloms at the weekend.
FIS agreed that parallel slalom events for top-16 racers will now carry World Cup points.
Munich's Olympic Park will stage it over the New Year holidays, after Moscow hosted the past two editions.
© The Canadian Press, 2010
