The tournament, in which around 60 athletes from 10 countries are expected to compete, will take place on the trails of the Centralny Ośrodek Sportu Zakopane at the Suche ski resort in Zakopane, known as the “winter capital of Poland.”

This will be the second time the city has hosted the competition after doing so in 2016.

The alpine skiing section of Zakopane 2018, organised by the Polish Union of Sport Associations for People with Intellectual Impairments and the Sprawni-Razem Association of Sports Associations (ZSS Prawni-Razem), will feature slalom, giant slalom and super-G races whilst Nordic skiers will compete in the cross-country sprint, short and long-distance races along with the 3x2.5 kilometre relay.

INAS President Marc Truffaut said: “INAS is excited to work with the ZSS Sprawni-Razem once again on the biggest competition on the alpine and Nordic skiing calendar for athletes with intellectual impairments.

“Winter sports fans will get to enjoy the world’s best skiers competing in one of Europe’s best destinations.

“With the thrills and spills of alpine and the speed and endurance of cross-country, we expect a very entertaining championships indeed.”

Dariusz Mosakowski, President of ZSS Sprawni-Razem, added: "We are pleased that for the second time we can host the best skiers with intellectual impairments.

"On the organisational side, we will do our best to provide athletes with the excellent competitive conditions, and fans with a great sporting spectacle.

“We also hope that the organisation of the World Championships in Zakopane will contribute to the popularisation in Poland of sport for people with intellectual impairments".

The 2018 INAS World Alpine and Nordic Skiing Championships will open on February 27 and will feature athletes with an intellectual impairment (II1) as well two new trial groups.

The first of these is the II2 category, which is for athletes with a more significant intellectual impairment whilst the II3 group is for athletes with high-functioning autism.