The people who make Finsterau 2017 possible

“It is great to have athletes from so many different countries visiting.”

The Nordic skiers may get most of the attention during the World Para Nordic Skiing Championships in Finsterau, Germany, between now and 19 February, but the painstaking effort of many people behind the scenes to make the event a success should also be recognised.

When the athletes finish their morning sessions at the SV Finsterau club, where the biathlon and cross-country skiing competition takes place, they know they will always find good, warm and nutritional food at the dining hall.

That is possible thanks to the hard work of a team of over 20 people who are always ready to prepare and serve the food, as well as keeping the place in top condition for the 120 athletes from 19 countries.

There are nearly 300 volunteers in total involved in the smooth running of the most important competition outside of the Paralympic Winter Games.

“We have a group working in the morning and another in the afternoon,” explained Helga, one of the group heads.

“Not only do we prepare lunch but also little snacks, tea, coffee and cakes so that the athletes and all the people working here can have a full belly and can keep competing or doing their daily tasks in the best possible way.

“We had spaghetti and soup and will also have rice and meat, trying to offer a variety of meals.”

Regina, another group leader, added: “It is great to have athletes from so many different countries visiting.

“Unfortunately we are too busy to go and watch the competitions but the good thing is that there will be a livestream so we can watch them on a big screen whilst doing our job.”

The Finsterau 2017 World Para Nordic Skiing Championships gather the world’s best biathletes and cross-country skiers in Finsterau between 10-19 February.

All races will be shown live alongside live results at Finsterau2017.com.