First snow falls in Finsterau, more details revealed

The first snow has fallen at the SV Finsterau Sports Club in Finsterau, Germany, the host venue for the 2017 World Para Nordic Skiing Championships taking place from 10-19 February.

The news brought with it some more details about the event, which will host around 120 athletes from 22 countries for cross-country skiing and biathlon competitions.

The Local Organising Committee (LOC) have announced that flower ceremonies for each of the 38 medal events will take place directly after the races conclude. The medal ceremonies, flag raising and national anthems will then be carried out in the evening at a brand new, permanent building constructed as part of the venue preparations.

The athletes, teams and spectators will also be treated to an hour long Opening Ceremony on 10 February, but organisers are keeping the precise details of the occasion under wraps for now.

The Technical Delegate for Finsterau 2017, Hans-Peter Neeser, recently attended a site visit during which he praised the LOC for their work so far.

“There has been some amazing work that has been done since the [2016] World Cup,” Neeser commented. “Compared to 2016, everyone knows what will be needed and what has to be changed. I’m really looking forward to being in Finsterau again soon.”

In February the snow depth is normally around two meters at the stadium. With the snow beginning to fall, all signs point towards the conditions being perfect for the last major competition ahead of the PyeongChang 2018 Paralympic Winter Games.