The next generation of the world's best biathletes will compete at the Canmore Nordic Centre in 2009 at the youth/junior world biathlon championship.
The International Biathlon Union approved the Nordic Centre as the host site Monday.
The dates have yet to be determined, but the event will run in either late January or early February. The competition will feature 275 athletes from 30 countries racing in junior (19-20) and youth (17-18) events.
``It's an excellent opportunity for Canada's youth and junior athletes to compete on their home snow, especially in light of the fact that some of these young athletes could potentially be representing Canada the following year at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games,'' Biathlon Canada executive director Joanne Thomson said in a statement.
The Canmore Nordic Centre, located 100 kilometres west of Calgary, was the site of the cross-country ski and biathlon competition at the 1988 Olympics and is currently undergoing $16.5 million in upgrades paid for by the Alberta government.
Canmore last hosted the youth/junior world championship in 1992.
At this year's event held in January in Presque, Maine, 18-year-old Maxime Leboeuf was fifth, seventh and 10th in the men's youth individual, pursuit and sprint events respectively.
