March 10, 2017 (Quebec City, QC) – It’s an understatement to say that these precious few weeks since Quebec City officially picked up the torch to organize the FIS Cross-Country World Cup Finals in Quebec City have gone by in a blur. Barely two months later, some 150 athletes from 15 countries are now making their way to the Plains of Abraham, where they’ll be racing by in a blur as well during the long weekend of competition March 17–19.

With Freestyle Sprint, 10/15k Classic Mass Start and 10/15k Freestyle Pursuit disciplines on the calendar, it promises to be a jam-packed weekend—not just with action but also crowds keen to cheer on local favourite Alex Harvey, riding high on his spectacular victory in the 50 km World Championship in Finland last Sunday!

A stop like no other on the World Cup tour
“The buzz on the International Ski Federation (FIS) circuit about Quebec City couldn’t be more positive. The athletes are itching to get back to the Plains of Abraham and ski the courses we’ve been crafting ever since we confirmed we could host the event at such short notice,” said Patrice Drouin, president of event organizer Gestev. “Urban distance races are a rare breed on the classic cross-country tour, so Quebec City really stands out from the other races this season. And having our local superstar in the lineup is a huge draw, to say the least!” This time last year, Montreal was the first major city in FIS history to host an event like this as part of the Ski Tour Canada, and so far it’s still the only race of its kind to be held in an urban setting. Now it’s Quebec City’s turn to leave its mark on the sport by laying out courses that are one of a kind with plenty of changes in pace to keep skiers on their toes. In the sprint event, skiers will race one lap around a 1,650-metre course, while in the men’s and ladies’ 15 km and 10 km distance events, athletes will ski four laps of a 3.7-km course and three laps of a 3.3 km course respectively.

“It’s such an honour for us to play host to another cross-country event of this calibre, almost a year to the day since we hosted the Ski Tour Canada right here in Quebec City,” said mayor Régis Labeaume. “First-class events like this highlight what a fantastic city this is for sport as well as being the place to be for winter fun. The FIS Cross-Country World Cup Finals are a golden opportunity for us to showcase the charm and sophistication of our beautiful city.” The first wave of athletes will be arriving in Quebec City this Sunday to acclimatize and start training on the courses. With the start and finish lines right on the Plains of Abraham, the public is encouraged to come out and cheer on the athletes along the course all weekend. Major event partner and main sponsor of Alex Harvey, Québecor will be on site serving up an experience to remember for spectators who turn out to cheer the athletes on. And the event will be greener than ever, with the team from Cascades on hand to entertain and educate visitors on why it’s important to manage residual materials wisely.

See the full event details online at worldcupccquebec.com.