The Legacy of the Winter Universiade lives on in Erzurum

 A spectator record a the the Ski Jumping competitions

BRUSSELS – The East Anatolian city of Erzurum, which successfully hosted the 25th Winter Universiade earlier this year puts its legacy of the Games to work. The city built and developed excellent venues for snow and ice sports, with the ski jumping facility as unquestionable landmark. Staging the Winter UnivMaja Vtic (SLO) ended 4thersiade has definitely opened up this university town for international winter sports as some major events are already marked on the calendar of international sports federations.

In 2012, Erzurum will host the first FIS World Ski Championships in Turkey. FIS representatives spent three days in Erzurum from 14th – 16th June to inspect both the competition sites and the possible accommodation facilities for teams for ski jumping and cross country skiing. The Organizing Committee presented the state of preparations for the Junior World Championships and their plans for the upcoming months. The Ski Jumping venue is situated not far away from the city center of Erzurum, close to the university campus and boasts great infrastructure. A well-equipped fitness center with sauna will provide the ski jumpers and Nordic Combined athletes with good training and racing conditions. At the altitude of 1,995 meters, there are two jumping hills that will host the competitions for the junior world champion titles in 2012, the normal hill K95 and large hill K125.

The Cross-Country competition site in Kandilli is situated 37 km away from the city of Erzurum. It was built in an area of 160 hectares on the grounds of a former Turkish military base. The Kandilli Nordic Center consists of Cross-Country and Biathlon venues with a gym as well as medical and recreational facilities. Seven different laps are located at the altitude of 1,700 meters.

The FIS Junior Nordic World Ski and U23 Cross-Country World Championships in Erzurum will be held from 19th-26th February 2012. Before new junior champions are decorated, Erzurum will welcome ski jumpers for the Continental Cup events in September whilst Nordic Combined athletes will travel to Turkey for their Continental Cup in January 2012.

Erzurum will also see some new international ice hockey activity. We remember the huge crowds at the hockey games during the Universiade where the citizens of Erzurum really embraced the fastest team sport in the world. The Turkish Ice Hockey Federation will stage no less than two IIHF World Championships in Erzurum next year. From March 11th to 17th, 2012 Erzurum will welcome the national teams from Israel, Turkey, Ireland, Mongolia, Bosnia & Herzegovina and Hong Kong in the U18 age group, Division III Group B while the teams from DPR Korea, Ireland, Turkey, Luxembourg, Greece and Mongolia will play in the Men’s Senior Division III from April 15th to 21st, 2012.

The Legacy of the Winter Universiade lives on in Erzurum!

C. Pierre, FISU Press Officer

 The TT Towers by night

The backbone of the Turkish team goalie Erol Kahraman