The countdown is on to the start of one of the most highly-anticipated events the City of Prince George has witnessed or hosted in its history.
In less than 24 hours, the 2019 World Para Nordic Skiing Championships will be declared open, officially welcoming nearly 20 countries into B.C.’s northern capital for the following nine days of competition at Otway.
For the public, this is completely free of charge!
So, if you’re thinking of catching some of the action between tomorrow (Feb. 15) and Feb. 24, here are some facts you’ll need to know before cheering on the world-class athletes.
CEREMONIES
The World Para Nordic committee has decided to move the opening ceremony indoors at the Prince George Civic Centre due to colder temperatures expected tomorrow evening.
Festivities will begin at 7 p.m., which will include the parade of delegations, speeches, oaths, and a presentation of the Paralympic flag and Paralympic anthem.
The closing ceremony will be held in the same location on Feb. 24 starting at 6:15 p.m.
After each race is complete, there will be a recognition ceremony for the top three, which will be followed by a formal medal ceremony at Canada Games Plaza at 7 p.m.
VENUES
Athletes will suit up for the championships at the Caledonia Nordic Ski Club, where all of the races will take place.
This is located at 8141 Otway Road and parking spaces are limited.
All of the formal ceremonies will be held at the Prince George Civic Centre and Canada Games Plaza in the evenings.
You can click here for the full schedule of events.
#WPNSC2019 preparations are in full swing here at Caledonia Nordic!! We can't wait for competition to begin on Saturday - for full Prince George 2019 World @paranordic Skiing Championships info head to https://t.co/cOWLSi73SN. #cityofPG pic.twitter.com/2uotzAgWKG
— Caledonia Nordic (@OtwayPG) February 13, 2019
PARK-AND-RIDE
This is a mode of transportation local residents may want to take advantage of when visiting the 2019 World Para Nordic Skiing Championships.
A park-and-ride shuttle bus is available for spectators, free of charge, departing from the Prince George Aquatic Centre on 18th Avenue.
With the exception of Saturday, Feb. 23, the bus will leave the pool twice in the morning and will leave the stadium twice in the afternoon.
A Free Park & Ride Shuttle will be available Feb16-24 from the PG Aquatic Centre to take spectators to the #WPNSC2019 Events at Caledonia Nordic. The full schedule can be found at https://t.co/JmNSBMxwgt - all events are free to attend. @CityofPG @tourismpg pic.twitter.com/xx0X0zZ41T
— Caledonia Nordic (@OtwayPG) February 13, 2019
THE COMPETITIONS
Over 150 athletes from nearly 20 countries will be taking part in a variety of challenging races for a chance to take home some hardware.
There are individual and team relays, men and women, for the event’s two main sports; biathlon and cross-country skiing.
The distances range from 6km to 20km, along with a certain number of targets that need to be hit during the shooting section of the biathlon.
THE ATHLETES
Every person participating in the Para Nordic Skiing Championships is a world-class athlete.
Most of which have competed for their home country for more than a decade, making Winter Paralympic rosters and even coming home with gold, silver, or bronze medals from those games.
They have become specialists in their sport, whether it's through the sitting, standing, or visually-impaired categories, working long hours in pursuing their dreams.
There’s no question that these athletes can do what they can do, likely better than all of us amateurs or spectators; appreciate them, respect them, and cheer loudly for them!
