World Championship in Nordic Skiing in Liberec 2009

The biggest sports event of the year 2009 in the Czech Republic – that is the FIS World Championship in Nordic Skiing in Liberec.

The best skiers in the world will compete on cross-country skiing routes and ski jump towers from 18 February to 1 March 2009.

The World Championship in Nordic skiing takes place every two years and this time it will take place for the very first time in the Czech Republic. The current ski towers located under the Ještěd hill were modified for ski jumping contests and a brand new cross-country skiing facility was built in Vesec u Liberce.

The World Championship will also feature an attractive premiere: for the first time, women will compete at ski jump towers after years of not being allowed to participate. On 20 February, viewers can come and see how they are doing. Men, on the other hand, have been competing in ski jumping for a very long time. The main battles will take place at the big ski jump tower on 27 February and teams will compete on 28 February. Last year’s world cup winner, the Austrian Thomas Morgenstern, legendary Adam Malysz from Poland, and Ulrika Grässler, the Women’s Continental Cup winner representing the German team, will arrive in Liberec.

The new cross-country skiing facility in Vesec will welcome the skiers at its two 3.75 km routes, combination of which will create 5.0 km and 7.5 km routes. Competitions will take place from the very beginning of the championship and the women’s and men’s sprint, ski-relay, and marathon finals will take place from 24 February to 1 March. The Czech fans are placing their hopes on Lukáš Bauer, last year’s world cup winner, whose priority for this season is to rank among the first in Liberec. Czech cross-country skier Kateřina Neumannová won her gold medal at the last championship in Sapporo and during this year’s championship she will, as its president, also support her former competitors Norwegian Kristin Steira and Italian Follis.

Tickets may be purchased through the TICKETPRO network. Their price at the opening ceremony will be CZK 300-750 and CZK 250-1,500 at the finals.

In addition to its sports facilities, the town of Liberec will offer viewers and sportsmen its other attractions as well. They include the region’s symbol, the TV tower and the Ještěd hotel, the botanical garden, and the Centrum Babylon amusement and relaxation complex.