Countdown to the 1st Winter Youth Olympic Games

The countdown is on to the 1st Winter Youth Olympic Games, which will take place from 13th – 22nd January 2012 in Innsbruck and Seefeld.

Innsbruck will become the first city worldwide to stage the Olympic Games for a third time, following the 1964 and 1976 games, with London just missing out on this accolade by staging their third Olympics in summer 2012. Innsbruck was given the honour of hosting the Games by the largest majority in the history of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) – 85 votes to 14, beating bids from Harbin, Kuopia and Lillehammer.

The Tirol Tourist Board has teamed up with the Ski Club of Great Britain to run a blogging competition, aimed at 16-24 year olds, who have to submit their YOG BLOG (200 words) on their best skiing or snowboarding experience. The winner will be sent to Innsbruck to become the Ski Club of Great Britain’s blogger at the Youth Winter Olympics. The prize will run as two weekend trips from Fri 13th – Sun 16th Jan and from Fri 20th – Sun 22nd Jan. Entrants submit their blog by email (title: YOG Blog) to yog@skiclub.co.uk stating their name, age and contact number. The full competition details are on the Ski Club website here.

The goal for the Youth Olympics is to introduce young athletes to the Olympic spirit, to provide them with a public arena to showcase their talents. Over 1000 young competitors, from more than 60 countries, aged between 14 and 19 will compete across 63 competitions in 15 disciplines from biathlon to bobsleigh to downhill skiing and ice hockey. Spectators will have the chance to witness brand new events such as Freestyle Skiing Halfpipe, Snowboard Slopestyle and Women’s Ski Jumping – all part of the Olympic Games for the first time.

Tickets are available – free of charge – outdoor venues do not require a ticket, but registration for indoor venues can be made at www.innsbruck2012.com. All the competition venues are easily accessible for those staying in Innsbruck, Seefeld and Kühtai and neighbouring resorts. On the Patscherkofel mountain, the Alpine Skiing events, such as the Super G, Combined Event and the Slalom will be a big crowd-puller, in Kühtai the Ski Cross competition is not to be missed, whilst up in Seefeld the Nordic and Ski Jumping events will be the top attractions.

A requirement for the Youth Olympics is that no new sports venues should be built (exceptions include media centre and village for coaches and athletes), therefore most of the existing facilities from the 1964 and 1976 Winter Olympics will be used. Work commenced on the Youth Olympic Village in Innsbruck in December 2009 and will be the hub of all activity and from April 2012, the 444 flats, built using the latest energy-saving technology, will then be made available to the local population.

Sample packages:

Innsbruck

Innsbruck Tourist Board (Tel. + 43 512 56 2000; www.innsbruck-pauschalen.com) has a YOG package, with 3 nights’ accommodation on B&B in Innsbruck from €499 per person, including tickets for three Olympic events, one day ski pass, Innsbruck sightseeing and night sledging. easyJet.com fly daily from Gatwick and twice weekly from Liverpool and Bristol to Innsbruck from £56 return. BA.com fly five times a week from Gatwick to Innsbruck.

Seefeld

Neilson (0845 070 3460; www.neilson.co.uk) has 7 nights’ accommodation on half board at the 3* Hotel Krinserhof in Seefeld from £399 per person (was £595), including return flights from Gatwick to Innsbruck and resort transfers. Departs 14th January 2012

Kühtai

Inghams (020 8780 4447; www.inghams.co.uk) has 7 nights accommodation  on chalet board at the Chalet Hotel Elisabeth from £539 per person, including return flights from Gatwick to Zurich and resort transfers. Departs 14th January 2012.

Igls

Crystal Ski (0871 231 2256; www.crystalski.co.uk) has 7 nights’ accommodation on half board at the 4* Hotel Romerhof in Igls from £499 per person, including return flights from Gatwick to Innsbruck and resort transfers. Departs 14th January 2012.

For more information www.innsbruck2012.com, For media accreditation click here.

-ENDS-

For further information and images contact:

Becky Horton, Horton PR

becky.horton@hortonpr.co.uk; 020 8330 2143; 07766 738020

Holger Gassler, Marketing UK, Tirol Tourist Board

holger.gassler@tirolwerbung.at, Tel. +43.(0)512.5320.641

The Ski Club of Great Britain is a not-for-profit snowsports club which offers benefits to its 32,000 members. For more information about the Ski Club of Great Britain please contact Vicky Norman: Vicky.norman@skiclub.co.uk / 020 8410 2018

www.visittirol.co.uk; www.facebook.com/visittirol

Tags: