PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — Officials with the International Biathlon Union (IBU) World Cup 8, set for Aroostook County in early February, have reported The New York Times has named the coming event among the top sporting events of 2016.
At a New Year’s Eve gathering, lead organizers spoke with local media about a recent article by the nation’s second-highest circulated newspaper that included the international happening coming to the Nordic Heritage Center among the 23 global sporting events of note over the coming 12 months.
The article, “The Usual (and Not-So-Usual) Suspects in Sports in 2016” by New York Times sports reporter Victor Mather, ran Christmas Eve and names the IBU World Cup coming to Presque Isle February 11 through 14, along with high-profile events like Super Bowl 50, The NCAA Men and Women’s Final Four, the Masters Golf Tournament, Kentucky Derby, World Series and Summer Olympics.
“We could not be more thrilled to be in such impressive company,” said Jane Towle, 2016 IBU Biathlon World Cup event director. “It is such a tremendous honor to be included in this listing of the most notable sporting events of the coming year by such a venerable publication as The New York Times. Although it came as a bit of a surprise, it is certainly warranted on many levels. After all, Biathlon is the most popular winter sport in Europe, and televised World Cup events, including the live broadcasts from Presque Isle, are among the highest rated programs across the continent.
“Most importantly, it is certainly a tribute to our dedicated and spirited team of volunteers who have helped northern Maine host world-class events right here,” said Towle.
Officials also marked the start of 2016 with the launch of a countdown calendar that notes the days remaining to when competition gets underway at the Nordic Heritage Center. Joining with representatives of Katahdin Trust Company, one of the regional event partners for the Biathlon World Cup, event organizers placed the numbers four and zero on the newly installed countdown calendar on the bank building on the corner of Main and North streets in Presque Isle. Jan. 1 represented 40 days to the start of competition on Feb. 11.
The calendar sits at the intersection where many area residents turn to drive out to the Nordic Heritage Center. Katahdin Trust employees have officially adopted the countdown clock and will change the numbers each day until the event starts. According to company officials, this is both consistent with the strong spirit of community engagement amongst Katahdin employees and a great way to build excitement for the coming event amongst staff, customers and the community.
“We look forward to sharing with our area friends and neighbors the enthusiasm that is growing within our organization for the upcoming 2016 IBU Biathlon World Cup,” said Vicki Smith, senior vice president of marketing and communications. “Katahdin Trust is proud to show our support by displaying the countdown calendar at our branch in the Star City for all to see. We are extremely fortunate to have a facility like the Nordic Heritage Center to host an event of this caliber that provides such great exposure to the area that we so proudly call home through regional, state and international media.”
