The press conference, dedicating the opening of IBU World Cup Final 2009/10 was held at the Nordic Ski Centre. It was attended by the Chairman of the Committee of Physical Culture and Sports of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomoous Okrug Viktor Maigurov and the executive Director of the OC of the tournament Nikolay Bondarev.


     As Viktor Maigurov said – “The preparation to the present competitions was very complicated because in three months the Biathlon Stadium was reconstructed, the main resources on which (about 70 per cent) were provided by the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug. The work was very hard and its results would be evaluated by the spectators. The present Nordic Ski Centre meets the latest requirements of worldwide sport.


     Nikolai Bondarev, in turn, noted that only the first of three planned phases of reconstruction is completed, which is the part of the program for the preparation of Khanty-Mansiysk to the Biathlon World Championship – 2011.

     But a lot of things has already been done: capacity of the stands is increased, the geometry of the start and finish zones is changed, a part of sports and training area is closed to the stands, the new commentator cabins were constructed with an excellent review.


     According to the press conference participants, this final stage of the World Cup, in addition to its traditional value as a start, which ends the world biathlon season, has more flavor. For approximately ten well-known athletes the World Cup in Khanty-Mansiysk will be the last start in their career, and thus the fans of Ugra will be able to hold them out of the big sport with their applause.

     Press Centre