But the event, due to start tomorrow in the Swedish city, will be missing any competitors from Russia and Belarus after the IFSS voted to follow the International Olympic Committee (IOC) recommendation and ban them following the invasion of Ukraine. 

"During these difficult times, IFSS shares the IOC Executive Board’s appreciation of the many calls for peace by athletes, sports officials and members of the worldwide sports community," IFSS President Helen Lundberg said.

Nicola Denisson is one of the most high-profile names taking to the tracks as she is the only athlete to be from New Zealand.

Denisson is anticipated to compete in the sprint interval start classic style nine kilometres.

Every track will be between 5km and 40km with the Biathlon Ski Arena transformed into the International Sleddgog Arena at an event due to finish on Saturday (March 12). 

The first day of action is scheduled to see the first heats for the sprint and the mid-distance events, as well as the first starts of the four-dog sprint and two-dog sprint.

On Friday (March 11), attention turns to the second heats for the sprint and mid-distance, and the second starts for the four-dog sprint and two-dog sprint.

The Championships are set to conclude with the third heat of the sprint and mid-distance dominating the final day.

Mikael Jonsson, the chief executive of Destination Östersund, is hopeful their hosting rights will generate a positive impact for a city located on the shores of Sweden's fifth largest lake, Storsjön, opposite the island Frösön,

"It is an international competition that contributes to strengthening Östersund as an event city," he said.

"It can open up for training camps and a different form of winter sports than what we are used to."