Prince George celebrates six months to Para nordic world championships

The world’s best Para cross-country skiers and biathletes will soon be descending upon northern British Columbia as the city of Prince George celebrated the six-month mark until the 2019 World Para Nordic Championships on Friday. 

As part of the festivities, which took place in Canada Games Plaza in downtown Prince George, the local organizing committee revealed the mascot and medal design for the championships. 

“It’s incredibly exciting to reach this six-month out milestone and see all the wonderful people in our community coming together to bring the best of Prince George to the world,” says Kevin Pettersen, chair of the local organizing committee (LOC) in a press release. “I have no doubt that we will create a truly exceptional experience for our guests that will enable us to showcase our amazing community and region and shine the spotlight on the opportunities for para sports and accessibility.” 

The event will be the first world championships hosted by Prince George, the largest city in northern BC. It is a partnership between many organizations, including the Government of Canada, Province of British Columbia, City of Prince George, International Paralympic Committee, and Canadian Paralympic Committee. Around 140 athletes from 20 countries are expected to participate. 

Canada’s Para nordic skiers will be among the must-watch athletes competing in Prince George. Canada was a top performer at the recent PyeongChang 2018 Paralympic Winter Games, including four from Canada’s most decorated Winter Paralympian in history, Brian McKeever, plus six won by superstar Mark Arendz and three captured by newcomer 17-year-old Natalie Wilkie.

The 2019 World Para Nordic Championships will be held February 15-24.