Games Preview

The 2007 edition of the European Youth Winter Olympic Festival, located in the Spanish Pyrenees is sure to be an excellent experience for the 21 Team GB athletes who will compete in four sports: Alpine Skiing, Cross-country Skiing, Figure Skating and Snowboarding. Approximately 1,200 athletes aged 15-18 from over 40 European countries are expected to compete with enthusiasm and high quality.

The European Youth Olympic Festival was initiated in 1991 by IOC President Jacques Rogge and recent Winter Festivals have taken place in Vuokatti (Finland - 2001), Bled (Slovenia - 2003) and Monthey (Switzerland - 2005). The 2007 competition will be the first time in its history that Spain will host a major winter sports competition.

All venues for the 6 sports comprising the 2007 Festival are located within a 30 kilometre radius of the Festival epicentre Jaca. Jaca itself will host the Ice Hockey and Figure Skating events in a brand new Ice Centre that is notable for its transparent dome-shaped design.

The remaining four mountain based categories (Biathlon, Snowboarding, Cross Country Skiing and Alpine Skiing) will take place in two ski resorts in the Valley of Aragon, Candanchu and Astun.

The BOA recognises the importance of participating in multi-sport events such as this, focussing on the preparation and development of our talented young athletes into Team GB Olympic champions of the future.