From the Organisation de Pays Alpins (O.P.A.) to the Federation of European Ski & Snowboard Associations (FESA) 

The Organisation des fédérations de ski des pays alpins( O.P.A.) was founded in 1972 and initially consisted of 10 national ski associations from the Alpine region.  

The organisation coordinated winter sport competitions/competition series in cooperation with the Fédération Internationale de Ski (FIS) or International Biathlon Union (IBU) and the national ski associations. 

In 2018, the organisation, based in Planegg near Munich, became a registered association. The primary aim was and is to prepare young athletes for the next level of competition and to give them their first international experience. This will continue to be the central task of the FESA in the coming years. 

The most important competition series is the cross-country skiing  FESA Continental Cup for FESA and therefore the most important competition series after the FIS Cross-Country Worldcup. 

Following the most recent expansion in October 2023 to include several members from Northern, Eastern and Central Europe, the 17 national associations decided at the Annual General Meeting in Sölden to change the name to the ‘Federation of European Ski and Snowboard Associations’, or FESA, which is also a registered association based in Planegg near Munich. 

Founding members O.P.A and FESA.: Andorra, Austria, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy, Liechtenstein, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland  

Expansion 2023 to FESA: 

Croatia, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Norway, Poland, Sweden 

New FESA member 2024: Denmark