PARALYMPIC AND PARA SPORTS NEWS

The entire five-man American team for the IPC Nordic Skiing World Championships is made up of active duty or veteran servicemen.

• Six Grand Prix events planned for 2013 starting in Dubai• Biennial World Championships in place until 2017• Two countries submit bids to stage 2014 European Championships

Slovakia’s Jakub Krako is dreaming about winning his third slalom World Championship title in La Molina, Spain in February.

The 2013 British Triathlon Championships in Liverpool in July will include a para-triathlon category.

Andre Kajlich and Patricia Walsh, both No. 1 in the ITU world rankings, were named the top American para-triathletes of 2012.

Australia’s two-time Paralympic medallist, shot putter Hamish Macdonald, is retiring as an athlete after years of devotion to Paralympic sport.

The Rio 2016 Organising Committee held a briefing with 15 potential companies who could design their Games mascots.

American Evan Strong was victorious in the IPCAS snowboard cross event on his home snow in South Tahoe (Nevada), USA.

Canada’s Paralympians were honoured last week for their achievements with the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal.

Brazil’s Terezinha Guilhermina and Great Britain’s Stef Reid won their British Athletics Series events, as Namibia’s Johanna Benson and Brazil’s Yohansson Nascimento also took part.

When Kgothatso Montjane competed at the Australian Open last week, she became the first African player to participate in a wheelchair tennis Grand Slam.

USA defeated Korea, 5-2, to claim the title at the inaugural USA Hockey Sled Cup in Indian Trail, North Carolina.

Japan’s Shingo Kunieda, the Netherlands’ Aniek van Koot and USA’s David Wagner wrapped up singles titles at the year’s first Grand Slam.

Spain’s Jon Santancana and Slovakia’s Henrieta Farkasova won both their downhill runs at the IPC Alpine Skiing Europa Cup in Tarvisio, Italy.

Canada’s Michelle Stilwell and Australia’s Rheed McCracken are off to a quick start to 2013 at Australia’s Summer Down Under Series.

Around 50 youngsters with an impairment from five EU countries will get their first taste of snow sports this Sunday (27 January) when the inaugural IPC European Para Snow Sport Youth Circuit gets underway in La Molina, Spain.

The IPC has sent its congratulations to its Vice President Greg Hartung after he was made an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in the Australia Day Honours announced on Friday (25 January).

The IPC has sent its congratulations to its Vice President Greg Hartung after he was made an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in the Australia Day Honours announced on Friday (25 January).

Around 50 youngsters with an impairment from five EU countries will get their first taste of snow sports this Sunday (27 January) when the inaugural IPC European Para Snow Sport Youth Circuit gets underway in La Molina, Spain.

The IPC's Editorial and Social Media Co-ordinator explains why athletes injured in war shouldn’t need a specific day to honour their stories, but instead should be acknowledged on any given day.