Trentino Continues Preparations for Winter Universiade 2013

World University Games Return to Italy

The International University Sports Federation (FISU) returns to its Italian roots as the 26th Winter Universiade in Trentino opens on December 11.

Trentino 2013 will mark the sixth time that Winter Universiade is staged in Italy, as 2,000 student athletes from more than 60 countries compete in 12 sport disciplines. Seventy-nine sets of medals will be awarded over the 11 days of competition, December 11-21.

Founded by former IAAF president Dr. Primo Nebiolo, the Universiade – a multi-sport competition organized for student athletes – was first held in Turin in 1959.

"Italy has a special place in the history of the Universiade," FISU secretary general Eric Saintrond told Around the Rings. "This is obviously due to the presidency of the late Primo Nebiolo. During his term as FISU President (1961-1999), Nebiolo gave a new dimension to university sport and positioned FISU among the world’s major sporting organizations."

Pope Francis will light the torch at a ceremony in Vatican City on November 6, prior to the torch relay journeying across Europe with visits to FISU headquarters in Lausanne, Brussels, Munich, Innsbruck, Turin, Rome and other prominent Italian cities. The flame will proceed to Trentino for the opening ceremony in the capital of Trento on December 11.

The scope of the 26th Universiade will focus on themes such as youth, university research, and the culture of sport in Italy.

"I think what will make the success and uniqueness of this Universiade is precisely its human dimension and the extraordinary involvement of students," Saintrond said.

"One must see FISU and the Universiade as a platform, a place where young people can exchange thoughts, share experiences and refine their approach to a professional life already outlined during their studies," he said.

Trentino, a popular winter sports tourist destination in the Dolomites of Northern Italy, has experience hosting world cup alpine skiing, freestyle skiing and snowboarding world championships, and three editions of the Nordic World Championships, including last winter.

Winter Universiade 2013 was moved to Trentino in March 2012 after Maribor lost financial support from the Slovenian government and was unable to host the Games.

Trentino Venues

Winter Universiade 2013 will be the largest multi-sport event ever staged in the autonomous Italian province of Trentino.

Events in 12 sport disciplines at ten venues will be spread throughout six competition clusters. Early season snowfall in the Dolomites has given the region a head start on hosting a successful Games.

"This week it snowed and the mountains are white," said Diego Decarli, Trentino 2013 press office director. "We look forward to the beginning of December with the snow coming in time to perfectly prepare for the competitions."

The opening ceremony on December 11 will be held in the Piazza Duomo in downtown Trento. The capital of Trentino will also host figure skating and short track speed skating.

"With two months left, FISU is intensifying its excellent collaboration with the Organizing Committee," Saintrond said. "Just recently, the heads of delegation of thirty countries were in Trento to inspect the sport venues and hotel accommodations. From a purely technical point of view, we are very confident,"

"The major difficulty that the Organising Committee will face during the Games will be the coordinating of the six competition clusters," Saintrond added. "Building a network between the different valleys will be their biggest challenge, but also a part of the legacy of this Universiade."

Alpine skiing takes place in the north of Trentino at two venues in Val di Fassa: speed events at Passo San Pelegrino and technical events at Pozza di Fassa.

"Pozza di Fassa is a magical place with the Dolomites surrounding it," Decarli said. "The slalom will be contested at night and there is a great track for the giant slalom."

Men’s ice hockey will also be played in Val di Fassa with games in the village of Canazei. The closing ceremony will be staged in the ice arena following the gold medal hockey game.

Val di Fiemme, site of last season’s Nordic world championships, will be home to cross-country skiing, ski jumping, biathlon, Nordic combined, and a second men’s ice hockey venue.

Speed skating and curling occur in Baselga di Pine, ladies' ice hockey in Pergine and snowboarding and freestyle skiing take flight at Monte Bondone in the south of Trentino.

U.S. Delegation at Winter Universiade

Deputy Head of the United States Delegation Nels Hawkinson tells Around the Rings that he is pleased with Trentino’s efforts to stage the Games and the U.S. will send a contingent of 150 athletes, coaches, and staff to Winter Universiade, its largest ever.

"We’re very happy with Trentino stepping up and having such little time to prepare," Hawkinson said, referring to the Italian province accepting the Games from FISU in March 2012. "Unlike in Kazan [Summer Universiade 2013] where there was an athletes' village, there will be 88 different hotels in the 5 or 6 regions, so we’ll be scattered like everyone else, but that’s OK."

Hawkinson, who oversees the delegation representing the United States International University Sports Federation (USIUSF), cooperates with but is not currently funded by the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) and its sponsors.

"We are kind of the training grounds, being the pipeline for future Olympians," he said. "The USOC and NGB’s recognize and understand this."

Hawkinson, serving in his current role for a fourth Universiade, is continually courting private sponsorship, while also seeking support from the U.S. government, NCAA, and the USOC. Sponsorships are currently being sought for the 2015 Summer Universiade in Gwangju, South Korea.

"We have to show that we have so many athletes going into their pipeline," Hawkinson said referring to the USOC. "From the Games in Shenzen [2011 Summer Universiade], we had 17 athletes that made their respective Olympic teams in London and 10 medaled. We have to show some success and then we’ll be talking to them again."

Universiade Champion Looks Towards Sochi

Austrian Daniela Iraschko, 29, is a two-time Winter Universiade champion in ladies ski jumping having won the inaugural event in Innsbruck 2005 and also in Turin 2007.

Iraschko, an education student who benefited from her Universiade success, discussed the challenges of juggling sport and school.

"I know what a double load is, how difficult it is to combine studying and practicing sport on a high level," Iraschko said. "You don’t really have time and you have to sacrifice your life without money, so therefore the achievement of winning a Universiade title is very important."

Iraschko was victorious at last season’s Olympic test event in Sochi, but had her season ended suffering a knee injury from a fall in January. Despite the setback, the Austrian hopes to compete in Sochi as ladies ski jumping makes its Olympic debut.

Reported by Brian Pinelli in Trentino

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