(ATR) As the cold months approach, winter sports federations are preparing for their upcoming seasons.
The curling season started with the World Curling Federation’s world congress on Sept. 4 – 8. The first event of the season, the European Mixed Curling Championship, was held Sept. 14 – 20 in Taarnby, Denmark.
Despite not having a world cup season, the International Ice Hockey Federation is one of the most well-known winter sports federations. The National Hockey League season started Oct. 19.
The International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation is holding the first bobsleigh event of the season, a two-man bobsleigh race, in Igls, Austria on Nov. 12. The skeleton season starts the following day with a men’s race in Park City, USA.
The International Biathlon Union is kicking off their season with the IBU Cup Biathlon 1, a men’s 10km sprint and a women’s 7.5km sprint competition in Beitostolen, Norway on Nov. 28 – 30.
The International Ski Federation is holding events across disciplines throughout the cold season:
-The cross country season begins Dec. 5 with men and women’s World Cup qualifiers in Lillehammer, Norway.
-The ski jumping season starts on Nov. 22, with a men’s World Cup qualifier in Klingenthal, Germany.
-The Nordic combined season kicks off Nov. 29 with a men’s 10k race in Ruka, Finland.
-The alpine skiing season kicked off in Soelden, Austria on Oct. 25 – 26 with the men and women’s giant slalom World Cup.
-The freestyle skiing halfpipe season starts in Coppertown, USA on Dec. 3 with both men and women’s halfpipe.
-The freestyle skiing moguls season starts on Dec. 13 with men and women’s moguls competition in Ruka, Finland.
-The freestyle skiing ski cross season starts on Dec. 5 with a competition in Nakiska, Canada.
-The snowboard cross season also starts Dec. 5, but with qualifiers in Montafon, Austria.
-Finally, the freestyle snowboard season starts Dec. 4 with halfpipe qualifiers in Copper Mountain, USA.
The International Luge Federation starts their World Cup season with an artificial track event on Nov. 29 in Innsbruck-Igls, Austria.
The International Skating Union held their first of six Grand Prix of Skating competitions in Chicago, USA from Oct. 24 – 26. The competition marks the beginning of the figure skating season. The ISU will hold their first event of the short track season in Salt Lake City from Nov. 7 – 9. The speed skating season begins with an event in Obihiro, Japan from Nov. 14 – 16.
Written by Andrew Murrell
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