Description of the interview participants
| Expert group | Inclusion criteria | Perspective | n |
|---|---|---|---|
| WC athletes | Top 15 athletes’ WC ranking | All disciplines (‘Allrounder’) (n=7) | n=11 |
| Speed disciplines only (n=3) | |||
| Technical disciplines only (n=1) | |||
| WC coaches | Top 8 nations’ WC ranking | Head coaches (n=8) | n=19 |
| Group coaches (n=11) | |||
| Officials/race organisers | Responsible for WC courses | FIS race directors (n=5) | n=11 |
| TD (WC organizer) (n=5) | |||
| Slope engineer (n=1) | |||
| Representatives ski equipment companies | Top 5 WC ranking of ski equipment suppliers | Head engineers (n=5) | n=10 |
| Service-men (n=5) | |||
| Topic specific experts | Expert with a superior specific background | Science (n=3) | n=10 |
| Expert ski equipment (n=1) | |||
| Expert safety equipment course (n=1) | |||
| Expert snow preparation (n=1) | |||
| Expert physical training (n=1) | |||
| Expert youth ski racing (n=1) | |||
| Disabled former WC athlete (n=1) | |||
| Parent of severely injured WC athlete (n=1) | |||
| Total | n=61 |
FIS, International Ski Federation; TD, Technical Delegated; WC, World Cup.