The world’s best cross country skiers are competing in Canmore this week in what is the first time the Federation Internationale du Ski hosts its final Word Cup event of the season outside of Europe.
The province said it’s the largest event of its kind hosted in Alberta since the 1988 Olympic Winter Games.
“This prestigious international competition inspires and teaches our young athletes that success in any sport, at any level, can be attained through commitment, hard work and dedication,” Minister of Culture and Tourism Ricardo Miranda said in a release. His ministry is giving $875,000 in grant funding toward the planning, staging and delivery of the event.
Skiers are in the final stages of the men’s and women’s World Cup circuit for the 2015-2016 season from March 8 to 12.
The area MLA said Alberta is very proud to be hosting the world’s top athletes in Nordic skiing.
“Events of this kind shine a global spotlight on our province, and prove the economic benefits of building and maintaining world-class facilities,” Banff-Cochrane MLA Cameron Westhead said in a release.