Top six stories of the week – 7-13 December

Announcements, launches and sport made this week’s headlines. 14 Dec 2014 By IPC

Although there was quite a lot of action in winter sports this week, there were a number of major announcement about key events for the future.

Here’s what made the news this week:

Sailing World Championships for 2015 launched

The 2011 Australian of the Year, Simon McKeon AO, has officially launched the 2015 IFDS Disabled Sailing Combined World Championships which will be hosted by the Royal Yacht Club of Victoria in Williamstown, Melbourne, Australia, from 26 November to 3 December 2015.

The event, which will be a final country qualifier for the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games, is expected to attract nearly 100 entries from 30 countries.

Learn more about the event here.

Giona, Spain, to host VISTA 2015

The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has announced that the seventh VISTA conference for scientists and experts in para-sport will be held in the historic Spanish city of Girona from 7-10 October 2015 and the theme will be “securing the future for young para-athletes”.

In announcing the dates and venue for the event, the IPC has also called upon a broad audience of scientists and practitioners around the world to submit abstracts for consideration either as poster sessions or oral presentations at the conference.

Find out more about next year's event.

IPC Ice Sledge Hockey and IIHF partner

IPC Ice Sledge Hockey and the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Sunday (7 December), agreeing a historic partnership on the promotion and coordination of sledge hockey.

The MOU was signed by Sir Philip Craven, IPC President, Xavier Gonzalez, IPC CEO and Rene Fasel, President of the IIHF, at the 127th IOC Session in Monaco.

Learn more about the agreement.

Michael Johnson welcomed as shooting athlete liaison

IPC Shooting, the global governing body of para-sport shooting, announced on Wednesday (10 December) that New Zealand’s Paralympic and world champion Michael Johnson will become the sport’s official voice for athletes.

Johnson, who has competed at every Paralympic Games since Athens 2004 and won his latest medal at July’s World Championships, is one of the most recognised and well-respected faces on the circuit.

Read more about this story.

Websites for Mexico City and Almaty 2015 launched

IPC Powerlifting launched websites for its regional Championships in Mexico City and Almaty, Kazakhstan on Wednesday (10 December), which will act as qualifiers for the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games.

The 2015 IPC Powerlifting Americas Open Championships will feature around 120 athletes from 20 countries and take place from 26-29 April, whilst the 2015 IPC Powerlifting Asian Open Championships are expected to attract similar numbers of lifters and run from 26-30 July.

Find out more about the websites.

First IPC Nordic Skiing World Cup underway

Competition at the first IPC Nordic Skiing World Cup of the 2014/2015 season is underway. More than 100 athletes from 12 countries are in Vuokatti, FInland for biathlon and cross-country ski races.

Read the reviews from day one, day two and day three of the action.