October 27, 2010 (Presque Isle, Maine – With just 100 days until the start of the North American Tour of the Biathlon World Cup, Presque Isle and Fort Kent, Maine are preparing for the tens of thousands of fans who will descend on the cities for seven days of Olympic-level competition during the E.ON IBU Biathlon World Cup.

Maine is home to two internationally accredited, world-class venues that are licensed to host World Cup competitions. The Fort Kent 10th Mountain Center and Presque Isle Nordic Heritage Center competition sites join others in Germany, Italy, Austria, Sweden, Norway, and Slovenia that are hosting this year’s World Cup events.

Biathlon, Europe’s most popular winter sport, has quickly grown in popularity in North America. During much of the 2009-2010 season, American Tim Burke was ranked as the top biathlete in the world. For Burke and other American athletes, the North American tour is a bit of a homecoming. In advance of the 2010 Olympics seven of nine of the top U.S. biathletes trained in Fort Kent and Presque Isle.

“Many of the world’s top biathletes view the facilities in Northern Maine as some of the best and most technically-challenging in the world,” said Max Cobb, President and CEO of US Biathlon. “Fans can expect an intimate experience with unparalleled access to the venues and the athletes themselves.  It is like having a slice of the Olympics in Maine for ten days.”

Athletes from 30 nations, more than 35,000 spectators, and members of the international media are expected at the Fort Kent and Presque Isle venues. The competitions will be watched live by an additional 120 million television viewers and fans in Europe.  From the opening ceremonies in Presque Isle on February 3 to the closing ceremonies in Fort Kent on February 13, spectators will be treated to thrilling Olympic-level competition in the pristine natural beauty of northern Maine.

“After days of thrilling World Cup competition in Fort Kent in 2004, we’re excited to bring the world back to Northern Maine,” said Andy Shepard, President of the Maine Winter Sports Center. “We are especially excited to introduce so many in Europe to all Northern Maine has to offer year-round.”

For more information on the North American tour of the E.ON IBU Biathlon or to learn about travel and tourism opportunities in Northern Maine, please visit www.discovernorthernmaine.com

About the Maine Winter Sports Center
The Maine Winter Sports Center (MWSC) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation, founded in April 1999 and sustained with annual grants from the Libra Foundation of Portland, Maine.  Our mission is to create a model of sustainability for rural Maine.  Our assets include world-class cross country and biathlon venues in Fort Kent and Presque Isle, Big Rock Alpine Ski Area in Mars Hill and Quoggy Jo Alpine Area in Presque Isle, Maine. For more information on the MWSC please visit our website at www.Mainewsc.org