(ATR) Nearly every one of the 15 Winter Olympic sports will have an idea of what the PyeongChang 2018 venues hold in store following another batch of test events beginning this week in South Korea.
The International Biathlon Union World Cup is the first test event of the month beginning on March 2 at the Alpensia Biathlon Centre. The competition concludes March 5.
The International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation has its first International Training Period also beginning on March 2. The Alpensia Sliding Centre will be tested by bobsleigh and skeleton athletes who will complete 40 practice runs to test the course’s safety. The test runs end on March 12.
Athletes in downhill and super-G skiing events will test out the Jeongseon Alpine Centre at the International Ski Federation World Cup taking place from March 4-5. The event marks the first women’s downhill World Cup event to be held in South Korea.
Paralympians get their test opportunities at the venues as well. The World Wheelchair Curling Championships begin Friday, March 4 at the Gangneung Curling Centre and conclude March 11.
Ice hockey will be the only remaining Winter Olympic sport to test the venues during its test events that take place in April. Short track speed skaters had a test event in December 2016 while the remaining eight sports held test events in January and February.
Para Cycling Championships Head to Los Angeles
The world’s best para cyclists will converge in Los Angeles this week for the 2017 UCI Para Cycling World Championships.
The event is being held from March 2-5 at the VELO Sports Center, an arena that is no stranger to major cycling competitions. The UCI has utilized the venue for its junior world championships in 2004, track cycling championships in 2005 and para cycling track world championships in 2012.
"We’re incredibly excited to be hosting the 2017 UCI Track Para-cycling World Championships in Los Angeles this March," said U.S. Olympic Committee Chief of Paralympics Rick Adams.
"Thankfully, LA is perfectly suited to host an event of this caliber on a tight timeframe and we can ensure that athletes and teams participating will have a great experience."
Nordic Ski Championships Conclude
IOC chief Thomas Bach visited Finland last week as the International Ski Federation Nordic World Ski Championships began in Lahti.
Bach met Finnish president Sauli Niinistö in Helsinki for talks about the country’s sporting movement before attending the start of the FIS championship on Feb. 22.
The centenary World Championships in Lahti is touted as the biggest event during celebrations this year to mark the 100th anniversary of Finland's independence.
More than 700 athletes from 60 different countries are competing in 21 disciplines over the 12 days of competition. The championships mark the seventh time the event will be held in Lahti following successful editions in 1926, 1938, 1958, 1978, 1989 and 2001.
Lahti was chosen to host the event for the first time in 16 years at the FIS Congress in South Korea on May 31, 2012. The championships conclude on Saturday, March 5.
ISU World Allround Championships Begin
The 2017 World Allround Speed Skating Championships will be held at the Vikingskipet in Hamar, Norway and is organized by the International Skating Union.
The event will feature the world’s best speed skaters competing across five distances from March 4-5.
An opening ceremony will be held on Friday, March 4 before the men’s and women’s 500m, women’s 3000m and men’s 5000m. The men’s and women’s 1500m, women’s 5000m and men’s 10,000m will take place on Saturday before the awards and closing ceremonies.
Anti-Doping Testimony in Congress
A United States House of Representatives subcommittee will discuss the current framework of the world anti-doping system.
The House Committee on Energy and Commerce oversight and investigations subcommittee will speak on "Ways to Improve and Strengthen the International Anti-Doping System," on Feb. 28.
Invited to testify before the subcommittee are Dr. Richard Budgett, IOC Medical Director, Robert Koehler, Director General of the World Anti-Doping Agency, and Travis Tygart, chief executive of the United States Anti-Doping Agency. Joining the three sport administrators are U.S. Olympians Michael Phelps and Adam Nelson.
"Following last summer’s Olympics in Rio and ahead of the winter Olympics in PyeongChang next year, the subcommittee will examine the current state of the international anti-doping system, challenges it faces, and ways it can be improved," a statement from the subcommittee said.
Written by Kevin Nutley and Aaron Bauer.
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