IPC Biathlon & Cross-Country Season Kicks Off in Sjusjoen

From 16-20 December, the first International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Biathlon and Cross-Country Skiing World Cup of the winter season 2009/2010 will take place in Sjusjoen, Norway. Over 130 athletes from 18 countries will compete in both sports in three different categories (sitting, standing, visually impaired).

On 16 and 17 December athletes will compete in Cross-Country Skiing events, both on the long and the middle distance. After one day of break and training, the World Cup will continue with the Biathlon Pursuit on 19 December and the Biathlon long distance race on 20 December.

With only 87 days to go until the Opening of the Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Winter Games, athletes are eager to start the season. Amongst them are many successful competitors from the previous winter season, such as Ilkka Tuomisto (FIN), winner of the overall Cross-Country Skiing World Cup ranking of 2008/2009 (Men’s standing), and Olena Iurkovska (UKR), who won the overall Biathlon World Cup ranking (Women’s sitting) in 2008/2009.

Cross-Country Skiing was on the programme already at the first Paralympic Winter Games in 1976 in Örnsköldsvik, Sweden, whereas Biathlon was introduced in Lillehammer in 1994. Both sports are governed by the IPC through the IPC Nordic Skiing Sport Technical Committee following modified rules of the International Ski Federation (FIS) and the International Biathlon Union (IBU).

For more information on Biathlon and Cross-Country Skiing, please visit www.ipc-nordicskiing.org.

For more information about 2009 IPC Biathlon & Cross-Country Skiing World Cup in Sjusjoen, please visit the official event website.