Preparations for Nordic Junior World Championships in full swing

Fri, Aug  14, 2009 - By FIS

In conjunction with the opening FIS Summer Grand Prix events, a sizable delegation led by Race Directors Uli Wehling and Jürg Capol had a chance to inspect the current construction work and other preparations for the 2010 FIS Nordic Junior & U-23 Cross-Country World Championships in Hinterzarten (GER).

For the first time since Schonach 2002, the FIS Nordic Junior World Ski Championships will return to Germany and to the Black Forest from 24th to 31st January 2010. The town and region around Hinterzarten have now reached the phase of detailed preparations and plan to present the Black Forest in the best possible way. Mayor of Hinterzarten, Hansjörg Eckert, plans to put the event motto – ‘The world as guest in the Black Forest’ - in action together with some 800 volunteers: “We would like to be a great host for all the teams and visitors.”

Altogether, 14 Cross-Country competitions will take place at the venue named Notschrei, situated about 35 km to the south-west of Hinterzarten which is currently undergoing heavy reconstruction. With a new trail concept and rebuilding of the stadium at Notschrei, a relatively snow-secure mountain at 1100m altitude and a well-known recreational area not far from Freiburg, the site seeks to make a great showing for the Cross-Country world. “The courses here are very challenging and will guarantee that the best athletes will win,” stated Jürg Capol.

The three Nordic Combined and three Ski Jumping competitions will be held directly in Hinterzarten in the traditional Adler stadium, where a new 2.5 km Cross-Country course was homologated for the Nordic Combined competitions.

The Organizing Committee is led by Detlef Braun and Hermann Wehrle, and has a budget of Euro 680’000 to deliver a great ski festival for the youth, also including several side events and memorable prize-giving ceremonies in appropriate surroundings.

“We can definitively see that the OC is prepared for a great week for our youth, “said Uli Wehling and Jürg Capol added: “Chapeau: what the OC is doing for the up-and-coming Nordic stars is truly exemplary.”

For more information on the FIS Nordic Junior World Ski Championships please visit: www.jwm-2010.de (currently in German, English coming up!)