After 12 days of competition, the 2024 Para Biathlon World Championships and the Para Nordic World Cup came to a close at the Caledonia Nordic Ski Club yesterday. (Sunday)
Over 200 athletes, guides, and support staff from 19 countries came to Prince George for the competitions.
“I’m absolutely thrilled and so proud of how everything worked out, we got so fortunate with the conditions,” said Chair of the Local Organizing Committee
“The amazing volunteers just really made this event magical, it’s incredible to get all the athletes from all corners of the world.”
“The team here was well prepared, we did everything in a good way, we had fair competitions,” Para Nordic Race Director Georg Zipfel.
“There’s a big team around, and if you watched the competition, this was the result, it was a high level of competition, everything well prepared, fantastic.”
“This is what Para-sport needs, we have to present our sport, we have fantastic athletes, strong athletes.”
Zipfel’s praise of the Caledonia Nordic Ski Club was echoed by athletes.
“The volunteers and the organizers here always put on an awesome event,” said Canadian Athlete Natalie Wilkie, who also raced in Prince George in 2019.
“I just remember the atmosphere and how smoothly the event ran.”
“It’s such a beautiful course, and I think the people make it too, all the people have been very nice and all the volunteers and everything,” said Canadian Athlete Emma Archibald, who raced at the Caledonia Nordic Ski Club for the first time last week.
“The course is awesome, even though it was rough conditions, I feel like anywhere with this weather would have been tough conditions.”
Zipfel added he’s hopeful more world competitions will be held in Prince George.
During the closing ceremonies, Zipfel handed his Race Director bib to Pettersen, and told him to give it back during the next international competition in Prince George.
“Our goal is to be hosting events like this every three-to-five years,” Pettersen said.
“We’ll keep the discussions going with [International Ski and Snowboard Federation] and [International Biathlon Union], but I think we made a very positive impression with what we’ve done in Prince George.”
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