With the FIS World Cup events this week in Lahti (FIN) for the three Nordic disciplines, Crans Montana (SUI) and Kvitfjell (NOR) for Alpine, Branas (SWE) and Inawashiro (JPN) for Freestyle and Moscow (RUS) for Snowboard, the season is entering the decisive phase after the conclusion of the Vancouver Games.

These will be followed by the first FIS World Cup Finals for Alpine Skiing in Garmisch-Partenkirchen (GER) and for Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined in Oslo next week

The Audi FIS Ski World Cup finals will serve as the ultimate test for Garmisch-Partenkirchen, the host of the 2011 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships, from the 10th to the 14th of March 2010. "The media attention, the number of spectators and athletes will be not as high as for the World Championships, although it will be a very important test event for us", so Peter Fischer, co-managing director of the OC GAP 2011. "It is a great honor for us to host the best skiers of the world in Garmisch-Partenkirchen."

The Finals 2010 will serve both as a test and as a promotional event for spectators to experience what is in store for the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships 2011. The Audi FIS Ski World Cup Finals 2010 will also see the Nations' Team Event pilot a new format as a parallel giant slalom race. Following the proposal of the FIS Alpine Executive Board, the event will be staged in a parallel format on the Kandahar slope in Garmisch-Partenkirchen (GER) on 14th March 2010 starting at 11 CET.

Following the introduction of the Nations Team Event at the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships in Bormio (ITA) 2005, the new format has been developed by an expert group of the Alpine Executive Board in response to feedback collected from various stakeholders, including the National Ski Associations, teams, athletes, marketing agencies and the media. Following the finals, the event will be assessed and a proposal made to the FIS Council regarding the competition format to be used at the 2011 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships in Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

Prize Money Ranking (before March World Cups)
Before the final World Cup events in Crans-Montana, Kvitfjell and Garmisch-Partenkirchen, the Audi FIS Ski World Cup prize money rankings are led by Kitzbühel winner and currently 3rd ranked Didier Cuche for the men and the many time season winner and ladies overall World Cup leader Lindsey Vonn for the ladies.

Men: 1. Didier Cuche (SUI) 289'100 CHF/192'733 Euro. 2. Carlo Janka (SUI) 240'637/160'425. 3. Benjamin Raich (AUT) 184'276/122'850. 4. Marcel Hirscher (AUT) 172'600/115'066. 5. Reinfried Herbst (AUT) 171'575/114'383. 6. Ivica Kostelic (CRO) 155'125/103'416. 7. Julien Lizeroux (FRA) 145'812/97'208. 8. Ted Ligety (USA) 124'525/83'016. 9. Michael Walchhofer (AUT) 123'250/82'166. 10. Felix Neureuther (GER) 115'500/77'000.

Ladies: 1. Lindsey Vonn (USA) 387'950/258'633. 2. Maria Riesch (GER) 286'450/190'966. 3. Kathrin Zettel (AUT) 248'750/165'833. 4. Anja Pärson (SWE) 171'150/114'100. 5. Sandrine Aubert (FRA) 141'500/94'333. 6. Marlies Schild (AUT) 119'750/79'833. 7. Tanja Poutiainen (FIN) 105'500/70'333. 8. Tina Maze (SLO) 103'300/68'866. 9. Kathrin Hölzl (GER) 101'575/67'716. 10. Fabienne Suter (SUI) 75'000/50'000.