LIMESTONE – With the ski season almost over, the Maine Winter Sports Center is looking for two world class coaches to work with area schools and communities to promote the Nordic skiing lifestyle.

The center’s head biathlon coach, Vladimir Cervenka, is leaving this weekend to further his coaching career, according to MWSC executive director Andy Shepard. Cervenka came to the sports center last summer.

Karin Lamberg, who came from Sweden to coach cross country skiing, left in December to return to her European home.

“We need people to be developing young athletes,” Shepard said Tuesday. From that “critical mass of athletes,” world class skiers can be developed, the executive director said.

“We brought in a world class coach who wanted to coach world class athletes,” said Shepard, referring to Cervenka.

Although the center has progressed beyond expectations in the past two years, no world class athletes as yet have evolved from the program. Instead, the work lies with coordinating community-based ski programs throughout The County, according to Shepard.

The sports center has two other world class athletes, Max Saenger and Will Sweetser, who also train with area students and coordinate competition.

“We’re very appreciative of his time,” said Shepard, adding that Cervenka had a positive impact upon the student skiers.

Cervenka, a native of the Czech Republic, coached the Czech Army (ski) Team and the University of Colorado’s Nordic team.

Lamberg, was a top-10 skier on the World Cup circuit and represented Sweden in several Olympics.

The winter sports center is advertising for the two positions.

“We’ve had some pretty exciting conversations,” said Shepard, regarding the candidates interviewed thus far.

The center director hopes to have new coaches hired by the end of April, with the their work to begin by June.

Cervenka couldn’t be reached Tuesday for comment because he is en route from Siberia where he attended a ski competition.