World Para Nordic Skiing and the International Federation for Athletes with Intellectual Impairments have organised a competition for Nordic skiers with intellectual impairments ©World Para Nordic Skiing

A competition for Nordic skiers with intellectual impairments will be held in collaboration with World Para Nordic Skiing and the International Federation for Athletes with Intellectual Impairments (INAS) in December.

The competition has been organised with the idea of creating a regular programme with World Para Nordic Skiing. 

Bessans in France will be the host from December 9 to 14, with a competition in Ostersund, Sweden, planned for January and one planned for March in the Japanese city of Sapporo. 

Researchers will also be collecting data for the classification system for Nordic skiers with intellectual impairments at the competition in Ostersund.

The first competition held in collaboration between World Para Nordic Skiing and INAS will be held in the French village of Bessans ©Getty Images
The first competition held in collaboration between World Para Nordic Skiing and INAS will be held in the French village of Bessans ©Getty Images

Athletes registered with INAS and with a World Para Nordic Skiing licence can take part.

"One of our main priorities is to create possibilities for more athletes and more impairment groups to be involved in the snow sports," Dimitrije Lazarovski, Head of World Para Snow Sports, said.

"This is a very important initiative and it will provide us with a better understanding of the next steps in the process.

"There still is a lot of work ahead but we are confident we are on the right path to bring in new athletes into Para Nordic skiing."