June 18, 2019 (Ostersund, Sweden) – Ostersund will make history next year when the Swedish city hosts the 2020 World Para Biathlon Championships from March 11-15. It will be the first time Para biathlon and cross-country are not part of the same World Championships since 1990 in Jackson, USA, when only cross-country events were part of the competition programme.

The 2020 Championships marks an important step in the development of Para biathlon and creates more competition opportunities for the athletes. The new competition also follows a structure more similar to the able-bodied winter sports where cross-country and biathlon count with different competition calendars.

“The Ostersund 2020 World Para Biathlon Championships represents an important milestone in the development of the sport. It is the result of an intense work from World Para Nordic Skiing, together with our Sport Technical Committee, athletes and membership. Ostersund is the ideal host for the competition as it has a long history of hosting major Nordic skiing events,” said Dimitrije Lazarovski, Head of World Para Snow Sports.

Johan Strid, Secretary General of Swedish Para Sport Federation and the Swedish Paralympic Committee, commented, ”Sweden is aiming at hosting the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2026 and we’re extremely happy to welcome the world already next year. We’re sure that the Ostersund 2020 World Championships will be an amazing event for athletes, coaches and all fans. Hosting Championships in the Jamtland Region aligns with the Ostersund declaration of being a centre for the evolution of Winter Para Sports and we’re eager to continue that journey together with the Para Sport Movement.”

Ostersund 2020 will not impact in the upcoming World Championships as Para biathlon events are confirmed in the programme of the Lillehammer 2021 and the Are-Ostersund 2023 World Para Snow Sports Championships.

Prince George, Canada, hosted the last edition of the Para Nordic Skiing Championships last February. Ukraine topped the Para biathlon medal standings with seven gold, nine silver and eight bronze medals followed by USA and Germany.