First Winter Youth Olympics

Feeling free. Photo credit: Innsbruck Tourismus.

Innsbruck, Austria is set to host the first Winter Youth Olympics, January 13 to 22, 2012.

The city will welcome some 1,000+ athletes aged 14 to 18 who will compete at the 2012 Youth Olympic Games in events including biathlon, bobsleighing, curling, ice hockey, luge, figure skating and skiing.

A snowboarder’s paradise. Photo credit: Innsbruck Tourismus.

At the premiere Winter Youth Olympic Games, the IOC will introduce several new Olympic disciplines including snowboard slopestyle, ski halfpipe, ice hockey skills challenge and women’s ski jumping.

A popular European winter destination, Innsbruck is known for its modern ski facilities and infrastructure including the Zaha Hadid-designed Nordkette Cable Railway.

The Winter Youth Olympic events are scheduled at the following Innsbruck area sporting venues:

• Olympiaworld Innsbruck (ice hockey, short track speed skating and speed skating, figure skating);
• the Igls Olympic Bob and Skeleton run (bobsleigh, luge, skeleton);
• the Patscherkofel (alpine skiing) and Messe Innsbruck (curling) and
• ski resort Kühtai (snowboarding and freestyle winter sports).

Igls Olympic Bog & Skeleton Run. Photo credit: Innsbruck Tourismus.

“In addition to holding sixty-three organized medal events in the space of just ten days, we intend the vast culture and education program to play a key role in these Games,” says Peter Bayer, Innsbruck 2012.