The main goal of the partnership, the IBU claimed, is to promote biathlon, enhance fan engagement and grow its fanbase through digital innovation and a superior user experience.

The partnership will see the launch of a brand-new biathlonworld.com website and iOS and Android applications.

The applications will allow fans to follow competitions in real-time as well as provide second-screen functionality with personalised user experiences, user-friendly statistics and insights into competitions, and high-quality video and image content it is promised.

"We are excited about the partnership with Vincit and the opportunity it presents to deliver an enhanced and personalised digital experience for our fans. Vincit will build and customise biathlon’s new digital platforms to meet the specific needs of our sport, which will allow us to supply existing and new fans with the right content for them, at the right time," IBU President Olle Dahlin said.

"With this partnership, we are taking a huge step to deliver on the objectives laid out in our Strategic Plan ‘Target 26’ to innovate our future and extend our reach."

The launch is due to take place in November 2021 before the 2021-2022 BMW IBU World Cup is scheduled to open in Kontiolahti in Finland.

The deal with Vincit, a company founded in 2007 and which also has offices in the United States and Switzerland, includes maintenance services up until the end of 2025.

The original service design concept was created by the creative studio Iona, also based in Finland.

"I’m really stoked to start our collaboration with the international governing body of this great winter sport," Vincit chief executive Mikko Kuitunen said.

"This agreement is an important milestone on Vincit’s journey to become a globally relevant digital transformation expert. It also paves the way for us to open up discussions with other international sport governing bodies.

"We’re waxed up and ready to hit the targets together with IBU."