The final days of the 2026 Virtus World Nordic Skiing Championships combined endurance, precision and teamwork, while also beginning to define the standout performers of the competition.

In the 5 km Classic race, athletes’ endurance and technical ability were tested.

In the women’s race, neutral athletes shone again. Irina Guber continued her dominant run, securing yet another gold medal. Alina Kashevarovaclaimed silver, while Victoria Konovalova completed the podium – a trio that has consistently dominated the competition.

In the II1 men’s category, Ivan Volegov (AIN) once again led from the front to take gold. Aleksandr Sorokin (AIN) followed with silver, and Aleksandr Charushnikov (AIN) added another bronze, reinforcing their strong presence across events.

France’s Clément Colomby delivered gold in the II2 category, while Clément Richard (FRA) topped the II3 race, maintaining his impressive winning streak.

Teams in Action

The II1 men’s 4×2.5 km relay highlighted depth and teamwork. The Neutral Team powered to gold through Ilia Chernoskutov, Aleksandr Charushnikov, Dmitri Morozov and Aleksandr Sorokin, while France (Dubois Titouan, Garin Joseoh, Guebey Yann and Dubois Titouan) secured silver with a strong collective effort.

The mixed 4×2.5 km relay added another dimension to the competition, combining strength across both men’s and women’s athletes. The Neutral Team once again dominated to take gold, with Ivan Volegov, Alina Kashevarova, Victoria Konovalova and Ivan Volegov delivering a composed and commanding performance. France followed with silver, while Japan secured bronze.

Championship Standouts: Leaders on the Rise

Some of the athletes have delivered champion-like performances across multiple races and claimed the title.

Ivan Volegov stands out as one of the most dominant athletes, consistently winning gold across multiple events, including distance, sprint and relay formats. On the women’s side, Irina Guber has matched that dominance, securing multiple gold medals and leading a strong field with confidence and consistency.

Close behind, athletes like Alina Kashevarova, Victoria Konovalova, and France’s Clément Colomby and Clément Richard have delivered exceptional performances, contributing to an increasingly competitive and high-quality field.

Full results will be available on Virtus’ website soon.

Dina Temirgaliyeva delivering a welcome speech at the opening ceremony of the 2026 Virtus World Nordic Skiing Championships. Photo Credit: ski_centrelife

“This Virtus Championships is already the fourth international event in the last three years that we are organising in Kazakhstan. Hosting this competition in our country carries special historical significance. Virtus is also celebrating its 40th anniversary.  We are proud of the work Virtus has done so far in developing sports for athletes with an intellectual impairment around the world. And, we are very happy that this Championship in Shchuchinsk is taking place in the anniversary year of the Virtus movement and becomes a part of the global agenda for the development of inclusive sport.”

Neutral athletes dominate the podium in the 10km Freestyle race

Day 1 of the 2026 Virtus World Nordic Skiing Championships saw strong performances in the 10km freestyle race across all competition classes.

Winners of the II1 Women’s 10km race (left) and the II1 Men’s 10km race at the 2026 Virtus World Nordic Skiing Championships. Photo Credit: ski_centrelife

In the II1 men’s category, Russian athletes dominated the podium, with Ivan Volegov taking gold in 26:48.1, followed closely by Aleksandr Sorokin in 26:48.7, and Aleksandr Charushnikov securing bronze in 27:09.9.

The II2 women’s race was also led by Russian athletes. Irina Guber claimed gold with a time of 31:49.1, while Alina Kashevarova and Victoria Konovalova completed the podium in second and third place respectively.

Clément Colomby (left) and Clément Richard (right), winners of Ii2 and II3 Men’s 10km race. 

In the II2 category, Clément Colomby of France delivered a strong performance to take first place.

In the II3 category, Clément Richard of France secured gold, rounding off an exciting opening day of competition.

World Rowing, Virtus and the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) are progressing a strengthened collaboration to advance inclusive high-performance rowing pathways for athletes with an intellectual impairment. 

Following strategic discussions in Lausanne between World Rowing President Jean-Christophe Rolland, Executive Director Vincent Gaillard, Virtus President Robyn Smith OAM and IPC President Andrew Parsons, the organisations have agreed to move toward formalising their cooperation through a Memorandum of Understanding. 

The collaboration reflects a shared ambition to embed inclusion within high-performance rowing systems globally, while upholding strong governance, athlete wellbeing and fair competition. 

As part of the dialogue, Indoor Rowing was identified as a particularly scalable and accessible entry point for nations at varying stages of development. With lower infrastructure barriers and clearly defined performance standards, Indoor Rowing offers a practical pathway for athlete progression, especially in countries where access to on-water facilities may be limited. 

“Inclusion is a fundamental pillar of World Rowing’s vision for the future of our sport. By working closely with Virtus and the International Paralympic Committee, we can help create clear, credible high-performance pathways for athletes with an intellectual impairment, grounded in strong governance, athlete wellbeing and fair competition,” said World Rowing President Jean-Christophe Rolland.

These discussions align closely with World Rowing’s broader vision for the evolution of rowing disciplines, including Indoor and Connected Rowing, and their growing relevance within the Olympic Movement as accessible, globally scalable, high-performance formats. 

“This collaboration represents an important step forward in strengthening structured and sustainable pathways for athletes with an intellectual impairment,” said Virtus President Robyn Smith OAM.

“Working in partnership with International Federations ensures inclusion is embedded within mainstream high-performance systems, not treated as an afterthought.” 

IPC President Andrew Parsons added,

“Partnership between International Federations and organisations like Virtus is essential to building equitable, credible pathways for athletes with an intellectual impairment within the Paralympic Movement.” 

The three organisations will continue working together to translate this shared strategic vision into practical action, supporting athletes, member federations and the long-term development of inclusive rowing worldwide. 

Virtus was immensely saddened to learn of the sudden passing of Charmaine Hooper, CEO of World Ability Sport, on Friday.

Charmaine was an incredible advocate of sport for people with an impairment, leading our partner IOSD since 2007. She fought strongly for the rights, inclusion and recognition of people with a disability at all levels of sport and was a great friend to Virtus and sport for people with an intellectual impairment.

She began her work in the world of disability in the UK, after moving there from her native South Africa in 1999. After several years leading competitions and events at Disability Sport England, she took up a role at the International Wheelchair and Amputee Sports Federation (IWAS) which later became known as World Ability Sport.

Virtus, the International Blind Sport Association, The Cerebral Palsy International Sport & Recreation Association and World Ability Sport – collectively known as the International Organisations of Sport for people with a Disability (IOSD’s) – were the founding members of the Paralympic movement, and we continue to work in partnership today to give people with an impairment the opportunity to excel in sport globally.

Robyn Smith, Virtus President, paid tribute to Charmaine saying “On behalf of the Virtus family and all the people who’s lives have been touched by Charmaine over so many years, I want to extend our condolences to her family and to her friends and colleagues at World Ability Sport. This is a terrible shock to everyone and a huge loss to the world of para sport. Her commitment and enthusiasm was unwavering and I want to thank her for everything she did for sport inclusion”.

World Ability Sport have opened a book of condolences and memories here.

The International Tennis Federation (ITF) and Virtus, the International Sports Federation for Athletes with Intellectual Impairment, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to strengthen ties and promote the growth of tennis for athletes with intellectual impairments worldwide.

The agreement highlights a shared commitment to inclusion, with both organisations working to ensure tennis is accessible to all, regardless of disability-related barriers. It represents a significant step toward expanding participation opportunities and supporting the long-term growth and sustainability of tennis for players with intellectual impairment globally.

Under the MOU, Virtus will collaborate with the ITF to build a clearer understanding of the current landscape of tennis for athletes with intellectual impairment. This includes examining how the sport is organised and governed, the regulatory and classification frameworks that support competition, and the specific requirements of the playing environment.

The partnership will also allow the ITF to gain valuable insights into participation pathways, coaching structures, facilities, events, and the wider ecosystem that supports the sport. These insights will help shape future growth strategies and identify areas of alignment with other tennis disciplines, including wheelchair tennis.

Virtus will benefit from the ITF’s expertise as the global governing body for tennis, particularly in governance, classification, regulation, and the development of disability tennis disciplines. At the same time, Virtus continues to oversee a robust annual programme of regional and world-level competitions, operate transparent governance and classification systems, and actively expand tennis opportunities for athletes with intellectual impairment worldwide. The agreement also encourages cooperation in promoting and developing key events and initiatives, while strengthening engagement with national tennis associations.

Aligned with the ITF’s 2024+4 strategy, the MOU reinforces the organisation’s constitutional commitment to universal participation and opposition to discrimination in all forms. It also reflects Virtus’ mission to provide fair, transparent, and high-quality sporting opportunities for athletes with intellectual impairment worldwide.

Through shared expertise and close collaboration, the ITF and Virtus aim to develop tennis for athletes with intellectual impairment at all levels, strengthening pathways from grassroots participation to elite competition.

For more information, visit: https://www.itftennis.com/en/