World Ski Championships in Liberec (Czech Republic) apparently saved

According to the latest reports from the Czech Republic, nothing now stands in the way of the first Nordic World Ski Championships on Czech soil, which are scheduled to take place from 20 February to 1 March 2009 in the winter sports stronghold of Liberec, and the event can go ahead as planned. In recent days and weeks, the organizers in Liberec, led by head of the organizing committee Zdenek Soudny, have repeatedly had to contend with negative headlines. The withdrawal of several sponsors also left a worrying hole in the World Championships budget, putting the event in jeopardy.

The Czech government has now pledged additional funding for Liberec amounting to the equivalent of seven million euros, closing the budget gap. Soudny, who is currently touring Europe on a PR campaign, is especially counting on ski fans from Germany, who are expected not only to bring money to Liberec but also to create an atmosphere worthy of a World Championships at the competitions.

Soudny does not want the fact that the Nordic Combined World Cup in early December fell victim to a lack of snow to be seen as a bad omen. Meteorologists in Liberec are forecasting sufficient snowfall for mid-February, so cross-country skiers and ski jumpers can expect optimal conditions. Soudny also has good news for fans, following lengthy negotiations with hoteliers in and around Liberec. After hotel prices for the World Championships period in the Czech Republic were raised several times over, hoteliers now appear willing to increase them only moderately and reasonably.