The Inspection Group visited Lahti, the organizer of the 1926, 1938, 1978, 1989 and 2001 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships, on the 17th and 18th of September. The Lahti 2013 Candidature Committee presented its concept which is built on leveraging the Lahti Sports Center’s facilities and a compact stadium set-up in the heart of the city. In addition, the candidacy draws on the Finnish spirit, extensive know-how and long traditions in Nordic skiing.
The Candidature Committee, chaired by Jaakko Holkeri, President of the Finnish Ski Association and supported by Jyrki Myllyvirta, Mayor of the City of Lahti, as vice-chair and Matti Leikoski as Project Manager, also highlighted the plans to place a comprehensive athletes’ village at the Finnish Sports Institute in Vierumäki, just outside of the city of Lahti, and to construct new installations at the sports venues. These include enhancements to the courses, more space in the stadium, a renovated Ski Jumping grandstand building, and new service areas for the teams. To allow more space for the spectators, the TV compound is planned inside an indoor football stadium.
For more information on Lahti’s candidature, please visit www.lahti2013.com
The inspection group stopped next in in Falun, Sweden. Drawing on the strong skiing culture in Sweden, and especially in the county of Dalarna where Falun is located, the Falun Candidature Committee presented its plans for the organization of a 2013 event. Falun has hosted the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships three times in the past, namely 1954, 1974 and 1993. The well-known ski marathon Vasaloppet has been carried out in the region since 1922.
For 2013, the Championship concept calls for various improvements to the existing sports infrastructure at the Lugnet Nordic venue, in particular to the Ski Jumping site. Several projects to enhance the general infrastructure in the region, e.g. accommodation facilities, are under development, while others are being planned. Furthermore, the Falun 2013 candidacy forms part of the new strategy of the Swedish Ski Association – the goal of Sweden is “to be the leading nation in the world in skiing and snowboarding by 2010.â€
