Paralympians Take Over PyeongChang -- Monday Memo

(ATR) A trio of Paralympic test events begins this week for the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Games.

The action begins March 10 when the World Para Snowboard World Cup Finals and World Para Nordic Skiing World Cup come to the PyeongChang 2018 venues.

The para snowboard competition is the first instance of a para snowboard world cup event in South Korea and features athletes competing in banked slalom and snowboard cross. The athletes will compete at the Jeongseon Alpine Centre from March 10-13.

The para nordic skiing athletes will also be competing in the sport’s first world cup event in South Korea as well. Athletes will compete in five disciplines from March 10-15.

The 2017 World Para Alpine Skiing World Cup Finals are also taking place at the Jeongseon Alpine Centre but start one day after the Para Snowboard World Cup begins. Athletes will compete in three categories – visually impaired, sitting and standing – across the disciplines of downhill, super-G, super combined, giant slalom and slalom. The World Para Alpine Skiing World Cup comes to a close on March 18.

This week also features the conclusion of the World Wheelchair Curling Championships that began March 4 at the Gangneung Curling Centre.

World Baseball Classic Begins

The fourth edition of the World Baseball Classic begins Monday, March 6 in South Korea.

Israel – playing in its first WBC – will square off against the hosts to begin the tournament. South Korea will be playing in front of hometown fans at the Gocheok Sky Dome.

The South Korean venue is one of six baseball stadiums across the globe being utilized for the tournament. Other stadiums in Tokyo, Miami and Guadalajara will stage pool play while Tokyo and San Diego will stage the second round of matches.

Los Angeles will host the championship round for the second time in the event’s history.

The first round of pool play will continue until the 16-team field is narrowed to the final eight on March 12. The second round of pool play begins later that day at the Tokyo Dome.

The 16 teams in the tournament are: South Korea, Chinese Taipei, Netherlands and Israel in Pool A; Japan, Australia, China and Cuba in Pool B; United States, Canada, Colombia and Dominican Republic in Pool C; and Mexico, Italy, Puerto Rico and Venezuela in Pool D.

The championship will be played on March 22 in Dodger Stadium.

Spain Ready for FIS Freestyle Championships

King of Spain Felipe VI will welcome the world’s best freestyle ski and snowboard athletes to Sierra Nevada, Spain at the opening ceremony of the 2017 FIS Freestyle Ski and Snowboarding World Championships.

The ceremony will officially kick off the championships on March 7 at the Granada Conference Center. The world championships organized by the International Ski Federation will introduce a new event with the discipline of snowboard cross team making its debut.

A total of 777 athletes from 50 countries have registered to participate in the event according to local organizers. The championships conclude on March 19.

Short Track Speed Skaters Race through the Netherlands

The 2017 World Short Track Speed Skating Championships begin March 10 in Rotterdam, Netherlands.

The 42nd edition of the championships will feature skaters competing in distances ranging from 500-5,000 meters at the Rotterdam Ahoy venue across three days of action. The competition concludes March 12.

Written by Kevin Nutley

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