Cable 2015 Reveals Lumberjack Mascot

The talisman of the IPC Nordic Skiing World Championships is named as Tim Burr.

Tim Burr the Mascot

The organisers of the 2015 IPC Nordic Skiing World Championships, taking place in Cable, Wisconsin, USA, from 23 January – 1 February, have unveiled the mascot of the competition – a lumberjack playfully named as Tim Burr.

Around 150 skiers from 20 countries will gather in Cable, located in the one million acre Chequamagon National Forest, for the biggest gathering of biathlon and cross-country skiers since the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games.

Tim Burr is a nod towards the area’s rich history in the lumber industry, which was built around its natural resources in the 1800s.

Loggers used to float trees down the many rivers in Bayfield County to mills where they were transformed into lumber, and put onto trains to Chicago. The city was originally built with the timber from the area until the great Chicago Fire raised it to the ground over two days in October 1871.

At the same time as revealing the mascot, organisers also gave a glimpse into the festivities for the Opening Ceremony for Cable 2015 which until now have been shrouded in secrecy.

Yuriy Gusev, Chairperson of the Local Organising Committee, said: “Tim Burr fits in nicely with what we have planned for part of the Ceremony – the re-enactment of a lumberjack competition.

“The Lumberjack World Championships are held here every summer. The lumber industry is still a major part of our economy and is the second greatest revenue source for Bayfield County, so we are really keen to incorporate it into the Championships.”

Cable 2015 is expected to see a host of Paralympic and world champions descend on the world-renowned Telemark Resort, which every year plays host to the start of the American Birkbeiner, the largest cross-country skiing race in North America. Athletes from team USA are currently in Soldier Hollow, Utah, for the US Nationals.

The Opening Ceremony will take place on 23 January, before competition starts with biathlon events on 24 January. All competitions are free to spectators.

– by Paralympic.org News Center, www.paralympic.org/news/cable-2015-reveals-lumberjack-mascot

Sponsorships available for Cable 2015

Organizers for the International Paralympic Committee Nordic Skiing World Championships seeking major sponsors to partner with for Cable 2015.

Organizers of the 2015 IPC Nordic Skiing World Championships in Cable, Wisconsin, USA, from January 22- February 1, launched their sponsorship program on Friday September 19th aimed at recruiting the revenue and corporate sponsors needed to host such a prestigious international event.

Cable 2015 is expected to gather around 150 athletes from 20 countries less than one year after the most successful Paralympic Winter Games ever took place in Sochi, Russia.

London 2012 and Sochi 2014 provided the ultimate springboard for media coverage and public interest in Paralympic sport. Current global interest in Paralympic sport is unprecedented. A cumulative TV audience of 2.1 billion people watched the Paralympic Games in Sochi this past March. Having the Nordic World Championships in the U.S is noteworthy because half of all the medals for the Winter Games come out of the Nordic sports.

Yuriy Gusev, Chairman of the Organizing Committee for Cable 2015 put it this way. “The 2015 IPC Nordic Skiing World Championships will be the first gathering for these elite athletes since Sochi 2014 and will provide a world-wide platform for our corporate sponsors. Nordic sports are growing in popularity within the U.S and is widely popular overseas. Our sponsorship packages provide partners not only with a great return on investment but also a global outreach that is very attractive to sponsors”.

Those interested in partnering with Cable 2015 can view the sponsorship package at: www.proposal.2015ipcnordicwch.us

Cable 2015 kicks off January 23rd with Opening Ceremonies and competition runs from Saturday January 24th through Monday February 2nd.

For questions related to Cable 2015 please contact:

• Yuriy Gusev, Chairman of the Organizing Committee at 608.385.8864 or yuriy.gusev@cxcskiing.org
• James Bolen, Chief of Event Support at 7015.798.3833 or jb@2015ipcnordicwch.us

Volunteer Program for IPC Nordic Skiing World Championships Launched

Preparations for the largest gathering of international athletes since Sochi 2014 continue with the launch of the volunteer program for Cable 2015, including a video aimed at attracting recruits.

Organizers of the 2015 IPC Nordic Skiing World Championships taking place in Cable, Wisconsin, USA, from January 22- February 1, launched their volunteer program on Thursday August 21^st aimed at recruiting the multitude of helpers needed to host such a prestigious international event.

Photo Credits: James Netz Photography

Cable 2015 is expected to gather around 150 athletes from 20 countries less than one year after the most successful Paralympic Winter Games ever took place in Sochi, Russia.

The volunteer program allows individuals and groups to participate in the World Championships by helping to fill key roles and provides them with a behind the scenes glimpse into a major international competition. Depending on the length of service, volunteers can receive meals and accommodation along with complimentary merchandise.

The IPC Nordic Skiing World Championships will need between 350-400 volunteers over the 12 days of the event. Volunteer opportunities include helping with the start and finish line areas, course patrol, biathlon range, press services, security and crowd control, stadium set-up, race administration, medical and much more. Opportunities include both inside and outside spaces.

To sign up as a volunteer for Cable 2015 go to: www.Cable2015.com/volunteering

A video launched to support the recruitment drive features several key volunteers already committed to Cable 2015 discussing their experiences from two previous World Cup events and their anticipation for the upcoming Championships.

The volunteer trailer can be found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abwhYQmoEr8.

Jane Mandli, one of the volunteer coordinators for Cable 2015, says she is excited to see the event come together.

“It’s very exciting to be a part of bringing such a prominent competition to Northern Wisconsin. The quality and character of our volunteers at the World Cup events stood out in the minds of everyone who was here for those and that is part of why the World Championships are coming.”

Mandli is also thrilled with the level of experience from some of the volunteers that have already signed up.

“With such a large event we really need, and will use, everyone who signs up for Cable 2015 but it is truly amazing to see the large number of volunteers already registering. I am very impressed with the vast experience that many of the volunteers have as well. This is going to be an amazing event!”

Cable 2015 will feature the largest and strongest contingency of US athletes at a Nordic Skiing World Championships. Many of the men in Team USA are veterans representing all branches of the military. The American women, led by Oksana Masters and Tatyana McFadden, are becoming a force to be reckoned with after winning multiple medals in Sochi.

More information can be found at www.Cable2015.com or contact James Bolen, Chief of Event Support at: jb@2015ipcnordicwch.us or 715.798.3977.

“This is going to be EPIC!!”

Cable announced as hosts for 2015 IPC Nordic Skiing World Championships

After completing a marathon Grand Slam in 2013, the USA’s Tatyana McFadden has achieved top-10 finishes at the IPC Nordic Skiing World Cup in the 2013-14 season. © • Luc Percival

180 athletes from 20 countries will gather in Cable, Wisconsin, USA
January 24 – February 1, 2015

IPC Nordic Skiing has announced that the 2015 IPC Nordic Skiing World Championships will be held in Cable, USA, starting next January and will attract 180 athletes from 20 countries

At a press conference on Thursday (13 March) during the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games, representatives of the Local Organising Committee and IPC Nordic Skiing spoke of their desire for the competition to be the biggest and best world championships yet.

Xavier Gonzalez, the IPC’s Chief Executive Officer, said: “Here in Sochi we have seen some amazing performances by skiers in their quest for Paralympic medals.

“Cable 2015 will be the first major gathering of the world’s best skiers since the Paralympic Winter Games and I am confident that organisers can stage the best World Championships yet by providing the perfect conditions for athletes to inspire and excite the world.”

The competition will feature both cross-country and biathlon races and will take place from 24 January – 1 February. It is being organised locally by the Central Cross Country Ski Association (CXC).

Yuriy Gusev, Executive Director for CXC will serve as the Chairperson of the Local Organising Committee: “It is a privilege for our organisation to host such an event and we are looking forward to welcoming the world, the athletes, coaches and officials to Wisconsin. We had the great honour of hosting two IPC Nordic Skiing World Cup events in 2012 and 2013, and we will do our absolute best to deliver the highest quality event in 2015 and to welcome the world’s best here.”

The venue for the world championships will be the Telemark Trail System in Cable, a town famed for being the starting point of the American Birkebeiner cross-country skiing marathon or ‘Birkie’, which ends on Main Street in  Hayward.

“It is the highest honour for our state to host an event of this international profile,” said Wisconsin’s Governor Scott Walker. “Next year, we look forward to warmly welcoming the world’s best Nordic athletes to one of the best trail systems in the nation.”

American athletes were delighted to learn that the next major competition will be held on home snow.

Multiple marathon major winner and six-time track world champion Tatyana McFadden made the transition from summer sports to Nordic skiing for Sochi 2014:

“I’m so excited to have the 2015 IPC world championships, an elite competition, on home soil,” said McFadden. “It’s a great opportunity for those of us who are competing in Sochi, as well as up and coming athletes to get some major international experience and competition under their belts.”

Oksana Masters, who won a rowing bronze medal at London 2012 and has also swapped the summer sun for snow and ice, said:
“I’m pretty excited for the world championships to be in Cable, because that’s where my Nordic career first started,”

“It was my first World Cup. I was a newbie at the time, so I’m excited to go back to that same course where everything really started, only this time with a lot more experience under my belt.”

The last world championships were held in 2013 in Solleftea, Sweden, where Russian athletes dominated the medals table with 56 golds, including five each across biathlon and cross-country events for Roman Petushkov and Mikhalina Lysova.

Ukraine placed second in the medal tally with seven gold, 11 silver and nine bronze medals, followed by Germany with three gold, one silver and two bronze medals.

***

The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) is the global governing body of the Paralympic Movement. The IPC supervises the organisation of the Summer and Winter Paralympic Games, and serves as the International Federation for nine sports, for which it oversees and co-ordinates the World Championships and other competitions, including Nordic skiing.

The IPC is committed to enabling Paralympic athletes to achieve sporting excellence and to developing sport opportunities for all persons with a disability from the beginner to elite level. In addition, the IPC aims to promote the Paralympic values, which include courage, determination, inspiration and equality.

For further information, please contact Lucy Dominy, IPC Public Relations and Campaigns Manager on e-mail: lucy.dominy@paralympic.org or call +49-228-2097-159 (Germany) or +7 9384541976 (Sochi 2014). Alternatively, please visit www.paralympic.org/nordic-skiing or www.ParalympicSport.TV

You can also follow IPC Nordic Skiing on Twitter and Facebook: www.Twitter.com/IPCNordic and www.Facebook.com/IPCNordicSkiing.

IPC Nordic World Championships come to Cable, Wisconsin in 2015

CABLE, Wis. – The Central Cross Country Ski Association (CXC) has announced that the 2015 IPC Nordic Skiing World Championships will be held in Cable, Wis. from January 21-Feb. 2, 2015. CXC, a Community Olympic Development Program and Paralympic Sport Club will be the host organizer for the event.

Photo Credit: James Netz Photography

The competitions will mark the first Paralympic Nordic Skiing World Championships in the U.S. since 2005. In a non-Paralympic Games year, the world championships represent the most prestigious competition of the season. Competitors from more than 20 countries will compete over 12 days in biathlon and cross country skiing of various lengths at the highest level of the sport.

“We are thrilled that the 2015 IPC Nordic Skiing World Championships will be taking place on domestic soil,” said Julie O’Neill, team leader, sport performance, United States Olympic Committee. “The Central Cross Country Ski Association has been a tremendous partner and host at previous competitions. We’ve seen tremendous growth and success in the sport much in part due to their great efforts.”

James Bolen, executive director of the Cable Area Chamber of Commerce and chairman of the state’s Sports Marketing Committee stated, “It is the highest honor to host an event of this caliber in Wisconsin and especially in our community. We have the best trails in the U.S and now the best athletes in the world are coming here to compete for the title of world champion on them.”

Wisconsin’s Tourism Secretary, Stephanie Klett concurred, “This is fantastic news for our state. The event has only come to the United States one other time in its storied history, so to have it in Wisconsin is a very big deal”.

Yuriy Gusev, executive director for CXC will serve as the chairman of the Organizing Committee. “It is a privilege for our organization to host such an event and we are looking forward to welcoming the world, the athletes, coaches and officials to Wisconsin. We had the great honor of hosting two IPC Paralympic Nordic Skiing World Cup events in 2012 and 2013, and we will do our absolute best to deliver the highest quality event in 2015 and to welcome the world’s best here.”

For more information on the 2015 IPC Nordic Skiing World Championships visit www.paralympic.org/nordic-skiing or www.2015ipcnordicwch.us