December 01, 2013 (Ostersund, Sweden) – The women’s 10km pursuit was stopped this morning in Östersund, due to unfair conditions and safety concerns from tornado-like winds. The competition jury met shortly after it was stopped and decided to cancel the competition. The men’s competition was first delayed for 30 minutes and then cancelled by the jury due to the ongoing winds.

Men’s Competition Also Cancelled
The men’s 12.5K pursuit was first delayed by 30 minutes, with the men’s jury meeting at 1300 to decide if the competition would proceed. They decided to also cancel the competition. Neither competition will be rescheduled.

The winds caused the jury to be concerned in two very important areas: athlete safety and fair conditions for all competitors. The tracks in Östersund are lined with tall pine trees; two weeks ago in similar winds, several of these fell on the tracks. The conditions need to be fair for every competitor.

The next competitions will begin on Friday in Hochfilzen, Austria, starting with sprints on Friday, relays on Saturday and pursuits on Sunday.