New Strategic Plan and restructured Statutes set the direction for the Federation’s next chapter
The International Skyrunning Federation (ISF) held its Annual General Assembly in the Council of San Sebastiàn de la Gomera in the Canary Islands, Spain, on September 17, ahead of the 2026 Skyrunning World Championships which began the following day.
Marino Giacometti, President, Pavlos Georgiades, Secretary General, and Alexander Keim, Strategic Plan Committee President, chaired the assembly, together with members of the executive board and management committee.
The assembly marked an important milestone for the Federation, with the presentation of a new Strategic Plan and the approval of the fully restructured Statutes, alongside the regular reports.
Plans for the coming years were presented to the 18 Members attending or represented by proxy. The Strategic Plan sets out a vision for a stronger Federation following the recovery of the challenges encountered by the COVID-19 pandemic. With the current finances now stable, the ISF plans to establish a head office with one employee.
Key priorities include, investing to reinforce the structure, increasing the number of Certified Courses, boosting ISF Card sales through new athlete benefits, and expanding the ISF Ranking.
The Youth Committee presented a revised approach to course parameters for youth categories. Until 2026, these parameters focused primarily on the length and vertical climb of the courses. From 2027, the finishing time will represent the principal parameter. Based on scientific studies, the new approach aims to provide a safer environment for young runners by aligning their performance effort more closely with their physical development. Members will progressively adopt the revised parameters over the coming years.
The approval of the new Statutes will have a significant impact on the ISF in the near future. The content of the Statutes are in line with the past, but the document was fully restructured, focussing on two main topics: a review of the Membership categories which were reduced to three, and the restructuring of the Executive Board.
These changes require new elections for the Board and Management Committee. An Extraordinary General Assembly has therefore been called for December 16, 2026, to elect the new leadership. For the first time since its foundation in 2008, the ISF will have a new President. Marino Giacometti will step down at the end of his term, passing the torch to the next generation. The introduction of the title of Honorary President would enable him to remain on the Board and support the incoming leadership.
The decisions taken at the 2026 Annual General Assembly lay the foundations for a significant new chapter in the development of the ISF. With a clear focus on strengthening the Federation and supporting the growth of skyrunning, the ISF looks ahead to the opportunities and challenges of building a solid future for the sport.
