World Para Nordic Skiing World Cup 2018-19

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Eui Hyun Sin is South Korea's first Winter Paralympic champion

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Eui Hyun Sin is South Korea's first Winter Paralympic champion © • Getty Images

The world's best Para cross-country skiers and Para biathletes will return to action in December 2018 when the World Cup season kicks off in Vuokatti, Finland.

There will be three World Cups in the 2018-19 season, which will also include the World Championships in Prince George, Canada from 16-24 February 2019.

2018-19 World Cups

12-19 December 2018 - Vuokatti, Finland

Vuokatti will host the season-opener for the second consecutive year. The Finnish city is a familiar location for Nordic skiers, having been a regular venue on the circuit since 2007.

With a total of 150km of unspoilt routes, athletes are treated to a challenging course through the heart of Sotkamo. The venue is located next to the Vuokatti Sports Institute, where Finland’s best cross-country and biathlon skiers train year round.

12-19 January 2019 - Ostersund, Sweden

The Swedish city will host a Nordic skiing World Cup for the first time since 2013. It still retains a recent association with winter sports, having staged the PyeongChang 2018 Qualification Tournament for Para ice hockey in 2017. Sweden's national teams train at the resort, which also hosts ice skating on Lake Storsjon.

12-17 March 2019 - Sapporo, Japan

Nordic skiers will have one final chance for glory after February's World Championships when the final World Cup of the season takes place in Japan. Sapporo last hosted the event in 2017 and it will be only the third time in Japan's history that it has staged a Para Nordic Skiing competition.

Athletes to watch

Cross-country skiing

Austria's Carina Edlinger, Sweden's Zebastian Modin and Norway's Birgit Skarstein will be among those hoping to retain their World Cup Crystal Globes in 2019.

Biathlon

South Korea's Paralympic champion Eui Hyun Sin, Ukraine's Taras Rad and USA's Oksana Masters head the list of athletes challenging for World Cup honours this season.