March 8, 2009 (Vancouver, BC) – The Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC) successfully completed its operational testing today at the 2009 IPC Biathlon & Cross-Country World Cup which ran from March 4-7. While enthusiastic fans made their way to Whistler Olympic/Paralympic Park to cheer on the world’s best Paralympic cross-country and biathlon athletes, VANOC staff tested field of play and Games-time operations, in addition to training potential Games-time volunteers. The venue will also host the upcoming IBU World Cup Biathlon from March 11 to 15.

“We’ve had very positive feedback from athletes, coaches and our Paralympic technical delegates about this venue,” said John Aalberg, director, Nordic sports, Whistler Olympic/Paralympic Park. “We worked closely with the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) on design, layout and technical components of the venue and the competition courses to build a venue that is both challenging and rewarding for Paralympic skiers with the best overall physical, technical and tactical skiing abilities.”

The event was part of the IPC’s 2008-09 World Cup season, involving 120 competing athletes from 19 countries. It was also the first time the Canadian Para-Nordic Team competed on the competition courses in the Callaghan Valley that will host Paralympic Winter Games events in 2010.

Canadian Paralympian Brian McKeever, who finished first in the men’s cross-country middle-distance classic race on Thursday, was pleased with his overall experience. “From what we’ve seen here so far, it’s above and beyond what we usually see at an IPC World Cup. Obviously, it’s being geared up for next year [2010], and that’s good to see,” said McKeever.
On the final day of competition Brian and Robin McKeever won their second gold medal in as many races in the men’s visually impaired category, while Robbi Weldon and Brian Berry, of Thunder Bay, Ont., capitalized on a disqualification from a Russian team to win the bronze medal in the women’s visually impaired division as reported by Cross Country Canada.

Testing at Whistler Olympic/Paralympic Park and Whistler focused primarily on field of play and overall venue operations.