County focus of World Cup site search

FORT KENT – A high-level official with the International Biathlon Union in Europe visited Aroostook County over the weekend to determine whether the Maine Winter Sports Center’s skiing and shooting venues could support a World Cup competition.

Janez Vodicar, vice president of sports for the IBU, toured biathlon sites in Fort Kent and Presque Isle over the weekend. The sports center plans to apply for a license to hold World Cup biathlon competition. If the license is granted sometime next year, such a competition could be held as soon as 2004, according to center officials.

The Fort Kent site has held Junior National Biathlon championships twice already. There is hope that the biathlon range also could host a Junior World Cup race next year, according to MWSC director Andy Shepard.

“Personally, I’m really surprised how hard they work to get competition here,” Vodicar said during an interview on Saturday. A resident of Slovenia, Vodicar learned two years ago about the effort to reintroduce skiing into northern Maine.

“I heard people are very interested in bringing this beautiful sport to this place,” Vodicar said. “I’m really impressed with what they did.”

According to Shepard, Vodicar plays an influential role in deciding where World Cup competitions are held. Such an event could have a $3 million impact on the local economy considering the number of athletes, coaches and support staff who would need lodging and food while they are here, Shepard said.

More than 200 athletes can compete in a World Cup race.

The only licensed World Cup sites in North America are in Lake Placid, N.Y., Salt Lake City, Utah, and Canmore, Alberta.

If licensed, the Maine Winter Sports Center would be the only site without an Olympic history, according to Shepard.

However, the Fort Kent and Presque Isle venues offer several advantages because of their proximity to Europe, including being six hours behind European time. Biathlon competition vies with ski jumping for the top spectator sport with millions of television viewers in Europe. According to sport officials, a competition could be broadcast live from northern Maine to viewers in Europe at about the time that families there are together in the late afternoon and evening.

“This is perfect timing,” said Vodicar. “People are home, having dinner.”

In addition to having the required facilities, broadcast and print coverage is one of the most important considerations in becoming a World Cup licensed venue, according to Vodicar.

“This is where the serious work starts,” Shepard said, referring to the amount of money involved in television rights, the athletes, spectators and other consideration involved in hosting a World Cup competition. “Sites competing [to host biathlon events] have a lot to lose if they’re not successful.”

With 16 World Cup licensed sites around the world, Vodicar said the IBU is looking for new places to develop the biathlon sport, especially where the sport is not as popular.

Also a plus for the state, according to Vodicar, is that Maine offers a clean and healthy environment for athletes.

“We don’t like to come into places where there’s industry,” he said.