PRESQUE ISLE – Almost 30 countries have signed to compete in the 2006 Biathlon Junior World Championships scheduled Jan. 27 through Feb. 5.

Officials on the event’s organizing committee said they are close to reaching their goal of bringing 30 nations to the international event. The 2006 IBU Biathlon Youth/Junior World Championships will be hosted here by the Nordic Heritage Center.

The event is expected to bring in about 250 athletes, hundreds of support staff, and approximately 18,000 spectators. It is also expected to have about a $4 million impact on the state economy, event director Tim Doak said recently.

Nations which have teams attending include: Austria, Belarus, Canada, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Kazakstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldovia, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Russia, Sarajevo [Bosnia and Herzegovina], Serbia/Montenegro, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, and the United States.

Melanie Stewart, event manager, said the volunteer committee also has made contact with Argentina, China and Bulgaria, but that no confirmations have been made yet with those teams.

“It’s exciting,” Stewart said of the countries who have signed on to participate. “We had a complete organizing committee meeting the other night and everyone is gearing up. We’re all thinking five steps ahead.”

In terms of logistics, that includes getting contracts in place with area hotel owners so team lodging won’t be a concern. Doak said that work is almost wrapped up.

Officials also are completing plans to handle transportation issues. Doak pointed out that because of the small size of the Nordic Heritage Center’s parking lot and the fact that some of that space would be used for event activities, almost everyone will be shuttled in to the venue. He admitted the logistics of this were fairly challenging for local organizers.

“Transportation is one area we’re working on,” he said.

Committee members also are in final negotiations with a production company to produce event footage for broadcast. Doak mentioned they are working with Kent Gordis Productions and that they also expect the Outdoor Life Network, the New England Sports Network and Maine Public Broadcasting Network to take footage at the championship.

With all this work nearing completion, officials say they’re ready for the next step.

“We’ve gone from the planning to the implementing,” Stewart said.