It was the biggest support a venue has ever received since the establishment of the International Olympic Committee. The final vote was revealed to be 84 votes to 15, with Innsbruck winning the hosting rights for the 1^st Winter Youth Olympic Games. So far, the capital of the Alps is the only city in the world, where the Olympic Flame will be light for the third time. Following the Olympic Winter Games, which were held in 1964 and 1976, the Youth Olympic Games (YOG) will take place In Innsbruck from January 13 to 22, 2012 and will be organized in cooperation with the “Olympiaregion Seefeld”. 

It will be a huge festival for young people from all over the world; 1,058 athletes aged between 14 and 18 will arrive with their athletic tutors. In addition, young citizens from Innsbruck and the Tyrol have already been asked to join the numerous exchange programs and meetings with athletes coming from different continents. It will be a unique opportunity for them to be part of a large virtual platform, where young people exchange their experience relating to the YOG-DNA, the spirit that marks the games. This kind of spirit involves to be outstanding, to achieve the best performance, to make fiends in peaceful gatherings and of course to show respect – to you, to others and to fair play.

Due to the fact that Innsbruck has been chosen as a host city for many international sports events on a regular basis, the Olympic sports facilities have steadily been modernized in the last couple of years. Hence, they all provide state-to-the art equipment. The “Olympia World” indoor ice skating rink and bob run, the ski runs on Mount Patscherkofel, the snowboard area on the Northern Mountain Range and in the Kuehtai ski resort, as well as the “Seefeld Arena” cross country skiing tracks and the ski jump are absolutely well prepared. Now it is the athletes’ turn to reach top positions and win medals in disciplines such as figure skating, speed-skating, ice-hockey, bobsleigh, luge, skeleton, alpine skiing, freestyle skiing, snowboard, curling, biathlon, ski jumping, cross country skiing or Nordic combined.

The Bergisel stadium and the impressive ski jump will represent the perfect scenery for the opening ceremony, because all spectators will have an unforgettable view of Innsbruck. Afterwards, the Congress Innsbruck convention center will serve as the stage for various cultural and educational programs, where people will learn more about how to become a successful and professional athlete or other subjects such as nutrition, health, media implementation, sponsoring, sustainability and social responsibility.

The Olympic Youth Village, which will be finished according to schedule in December 2011, will provide accommodation for 1,660 athletes and tutors. Thanks to its perfect location close to the city center of Innsbruck, the idea of bringing local residents together with young people form all over the world comes to live. 

Information: Innsbruck Tourism, phone +43-512-59850, office@innsbruck.info, www.innsbruck.info, www.innsbruck2012.com