The 2017 IBSF European Championships will take place in Winterberg, Germany ©Getty Images

The 2017 International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation (IBSF) European Championships will take place in Winterberg, Germany, it has been announced.

The governing body has decided to award the continental event to the sliding track in the Hochsauerland region of the country.

Champions will be crowned using a "race-in-race" format at the IBSF World Cup in Winterberg between January 9 and 15.

It means athletes from Europe will be competing for continental titles at the same time as World Cup points.

Winterberg has previously hosted the European Championships on six occasions, in 1979, 1984, 1988, 1989, 2003, and 2011.

Winterberg will host the European Championships for the seventh time after the 1979, 1984, 1988, 1989, 2003 and 2011 events ©Getty Images
Winterberg will host the European Championships for the seventh time after the 1979, 1984, 1988, 1989, 2003 and 2011 events ©Getty Images

The news follows the launch this week of the IBSF's summer anti-doping awareness programme, which is aimed at promoting clean sport.

The governing body hope the inaugural initiative, which is due to conclude on Saturday (September 3), will improve the knowledge about anti-doping among athletes and officials in the sport.

It will involve the IBSF posting information on the subject, which will help make everyone within bobsleigh and skeleton aware of what is required, on their various social media platforms and their website.

They have made a number of courses available in the dedicated anti-doping section of the website, which caters for athletes, coaches and youth.

The move comes amid the ongoing doping storm surrounding Russia following the publication of the McLaren Report, which alleged the presence of a state-sponsored scheme in the nation for a number of major events, including the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics and Paralympics.