The World Cup Competition Calendar 2021/2022 is changing - Kontiolahti will compete in March

Bulletin of the Finnish Biathlon Union and Kontiolahti Athletes 16 May 2021

The board of the International Biathlon Union IBU has discussed the next season's competition calendar, where the competition location was Minsk, Belarus.

The IBU board ruled that the Minsk competition will be moved and decided on a change to the competition calendar so that the World Cup will start in Östersund instead of Kontiolahti. Kontiolahti will be added to the competition calendar instead of Minsk.

With the decision, Kontiolahti will have two more competition events for the World Cup event than there would have been at the start of the season.

—We had prepared to open the World Cup season in Finland with a new concept, and with that the move of the World Cup to spring was not expected. The decision of the IBU board was based on a discussion with all the organizing parties. We think the new date in March is very good because it is the first World Cup after the Beijing Olympics. It's also a good thing that there is more time for the corona situation to calm down, which gives better chances to get the audience to fill the stands, says chairman Kalle Lähdesmäki of the Finnish Biathlon Union.

—We are satisfied that the IBU once again has faith in Kontiolahti's organization in the changing situation. We are getting fresh Olympic medalists in Kontiolahti and we believe that the profile of the competitions will rise even more this season, says the chairman of Kontiolahti Athletes Kimmo Turunen.

Photo: Manzoni/IBU

Additional information:
President of the Finnish Biathlon Union Kalle Lähdesmäki 0500-363126
Kontiolahti Sportsmen's Association, chairman Kimmo Turunen 050-5633480

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