December 29, 2016 (Quebec City, QC) – In an unexpected turn of events, Quebec City is suddenly a strong candidate to host the 2017 FIS Cross-country World Cup finals reports le Journal de Québec. This follows the announcement on Dec. 23 by the Russian Ski Federation that the Western Siberian city of Tuymen will not be hosting the finals from March 16-19 as previously scheduled – pls see TASS story link below. FIS officials have since been scrambling to find a replacement venue.

Alex Harvey (CAN) © Nordic Focus

“Quebec (City) is the first option,” says FIS cross-country race director, Pierre Mignerey, according to le Journal. He continues that Finland, Norway, and Sweden are being reviewed as other possibilities. The success of Ski Tour Canada 2016 and the FIS Cross-country World Cup finals held in Canmore, Alta. last year including the historic awarding of the Crystal Globes outside of Europe for the first time, are factors weighing in favour of selecting Quebec City.

Patrice Drouin, president of Gestev, is quoted as saying that the Quebec City muncipal government seems favourable to holding the World Cup finals on the Plains of Abraham. Drouin also says that logistically, the plan is feasible but details such as financing need to be finalized. Gestev managed the 2016 World Cup events in Montreal and Quebec City.

The move of the FIS Cross-country World Cup finals from Tuymen, Russia is linked to the ongoing fallout from reports of systemic doping in the country which Russia recently admitted to.

Stay tuned to SkiTrax for further developments.

Journal de Québec report here.

TASS report here.