The Universiade Flame entering its home stretch before the start of the 29th Winter Universiade, just like the year’s first of two FISU Executive Committee meetings
KRASNOYARSK — With the Universiade Flame approaching the city limits of this Siberian city for the cauldron lighting to open Winter Universiade 2019, a special guest opened the second and final day of the FISU Executive Committee sessions.
Pavel Kolobkov, six-time Olympic fencing medalist and Russia’s Minister of Sport, spoke about what the 29th Winter Universiade has already meant to the Siberian region — and how he sees the event leaving a long and lasting legacy, particularly for the general public and not just elite sport.
“In student sport, you are our guiding star,” Mr. Kolobkov said. “FISU is a reliable and dependable partner in sports with Russia. We see university sport as the way to increase physical activity in our country.
“I hope you have had a chance to visit all the venues and parts of the city to see firsthand how much this event has already enhance the development of the whole region,” Mr. Kolobkov added. “You feel this on the street amongst the locals.
“I wish you good luck, good mood and a memorable time here.”
SUMMER UNIVERSIADE 2021 AWARDED TO CHINESE CITY OF CHENGDU
It’s official: Summer Universiade 2021 will be held in Chengdu, capital city of the Sichuan Province of China. The final step in awarding the Universiade to Chengdu was taken during the ongoing FISU Executive Committee meeting in Krasnoyarsk.
The city of Chengdu was officially attributed the right to host the 31st Summer Universiade on the second day of the FISU Executive Meetings in Krasnoyarsk, Russian FederationSince the signing of the pre-attribution signing to hold the Summer Universiade 2021 at the FISU Steering Committee, the prospective city had been working in earnest to secure the right to host the 31st edition of this event. During the final day of the FISU Executive Committee sessions in Krasnoyarsk, the first order of business was hearing from the Chengdu Candidature team.
At the time of the pre-attribution during the FISU’s December Steering Committee meeting, FISU President Oleg Matytsin said, “Clearly Chengdu is a city with both a rich history and a bright future. We feel very privileged to have the opportunity to be a part of that future, bringing the best student athletes from all over the world to Sichuan’s capital.”
FISU President Oleg Matytsin (right) and Summer Universiade Director Marc Vandenplas during the December inspection visit to Chengdu
In these Executive Committee meetings, the prospective host city’s presentation highlighted the role that sports plays in the city of 16 million inhabitants and nearly one million students in its 64 colleges and universities. The FISU Executive Committee expressed their conviction that Chengdu is well set to host a major multi-sport event, particularly from a sports infrastructure front. Among the 41 sports venues proposed for the Summer Universiade, 30 venues already are at an international standard. The 11 venues set for renovation will benefit from a well-thought out plan to bring long lasting benefits to Southwest China.
The Chengdu 2021 presentation highlighted the role that sports played in the city of 16 million inhabitants with nearly one million students among the city’s 64 college and universities.
The proposed dates for the Summer Universiade 2021 are 8-19 August, with a proposed events programme of 18 sports. In addition to the 15 compulsory sports, Chengdu has chosen Rowing, Shooting Sport and Wushu for the three optional sports.
With nearly one million students, Chengdu refers to itself as a city of students
IN JUST OVER 100 DAYS’ TIME, NAPOLI SET TO HOST SUMMER UNIVERSIADE 2019
With just three months between the Winter and Summer Universiades, a contingent comprised of Napoli 2019 special commissioner Gianluca Basile, institutional relations head Annapaola Voto, and executive Flavio De Martino were joined by the Italian NUSF (CUSI) president Lorenzo Lentini for a report to the FISU executive board.
When the 30th Summer Universiade opens on 3rd July, it will mark the fifth time for Italy to host the summer edition of the event — after Torino 1959 and 1970, Roma 1975, and Sicily 1997. The report focused on a comprehensive rundown of the current status of functional areas of delivering the event, such as accommodation and transportation, marketing and communication and sport operations.
Following the conclusion of the Winter Universiade, top FISU managers and directors will be back in Napoli to work with local organisers to deliver another successful and memorable edition of the Summer Universiade.
During these reports, Mr. Basile reported that the Athletes Village, which will be based in Stazione Marittime di Napoli on cruise ships, will open with the docking of the ships on the 27 June.
Microplus was selected as the event’s timing and scoring provider. This company is also providing these same services during the Winter Universiade 2019.
On the promotion and showcasing of the 30th Summer Universiade, the local organisers how they would move forward in the broadcasting, communication, and media operations front. During the report, Mr. Basile announced a host broadcaster had just been chosen. Mr. Basile also clarified that the organising committee would launch a tender next week for the communication strategy plan.
FISU is still awaiting a final decision on the event mascot, venue for the closing ceremony, route of the University Flame Relay. The delegation visa policy also still needs to be defined. The Napoli 2019 confirmed that the relay’s route would travel from Torino, Lausanne, Rome, and Napoli.
“We need to find a way to accelerate the process,” Mr. Basile said.
Afterwards, CUSI President Lentini added: “For all big problems we look for big solutions.”
LUCERNE 2021: CHECKING IN WITH THE DRIVING FORCE BEHIND THE NEXT WINTER UNIVERSIADE
As the future flag bearer of the Winter Universiade event, Swiss National Olympic Committee Director Roger Schnegg joined the Lucerne 2021 organising leaders for the upcoming host city’s fifth progress report to the FISU Executive Committee.
The Swiss Olympic director remarked on his overwhelmingly positive impressions from his first Winter Universiade experiences — first in Almaty two years ago and now in Siberia. He spoke about the responsibility that all of Central Switzerland had in putting on a memorable event that lived up to the billing the Winter Universiade its #welcomehome.
Swiss National Olympic Committee Director Roger Schnegg (centre) addressing the executive committee of international university sports
Lucerne 2021 Managing Director Urs Hunkeler presented on how the organising committee had progress in various functional areas necessary to deliver the Winter Universiade.
Mr. Hunkeler announced the advancements in the following sport event operation areas: accreditation, food and beverage, marketing and sponsorship, communications, workforce planning, volunteers, uniforming, delegation services, planning and coordination and cultural performances.
With the 30th Winter Universiade less than two years away, local organisers launched their social media campaign #TwoYearsToGo. Following the conclusion of the Krasnoyarsk 2019 Winter Universiade, look for the city to be much more publicity and promotion focused – once the spotlight is off of the Siberian host. These media and marketing campaigns will draw heavily of top local athletes that have tasted success at winter world championships, Winter Universiades and the Olympic Winter Games.
On the sports programme front, FISU recommended that Lucerne 2021 include Moguls and Dual Moguls on the event programme, which fit in with how the upcoming hosts were thinking as well.
In Krasnoyarsk, Ski Orienteering got an overwhelming response from the number and world-class level of the athletes compering. With Ski Orienteering also on the Lake Placid 2023 Winter Universiade programme the Lucerne 2021 organisers are also still strongly considering including this discipline as well. The final decision will be taken place in June 2019.
LAKE PLACID 2023 – FOUR YEARS OUT, AMERICANS OPEN TO LEARN FROM OTHERS
The historic outdoor ice skating rink in downtown Lake Placid is still a hub of sport and activity for the village
With four years until the Universiade Flame and spirit once again visit the Adirondack Mountains of upstate New York, USA, the Lake Placid 2023 brought a team of multiple professionals in specific event delivery areas. Their goal in Krasnoyarsk: to learn from the organisers of this Winter Universiade and take the knowhow and experience back to hosting an efficient and effective event for the second time in the city’s history.
Experts in security, transportation, information technologies, ceremonies and culture, marketing, event management, and legal all were present in Krasnoyarsk for the event.
Lake Placid 2023 leader James McKenna (who also presides as President/CEO – Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism in Lake Placid) spoke passionately about how an elite event can inspire sport participation locally — and university sport promotion globally.
“We see this FISU event as a springboard. Hosting this event is helping us improve our sports facilities that will benefit the local community, both by increasing recreational opportunities and by making these facilities more attractive to tourists 12 months a year. These games can really help us extend our international sport brand.”
Known affectionately as ‘America’s first winter sports destination,’ Lake Placid has a longstanding and rich sporting history, having hosted the Winter Olympic Games in 1932 and 1980, in addition to the Winter Universiade 1972. The State of New York also held the last Universiade on North American soil, with the 1993 edition of the summer games being held in Buffalo.
In recent years, the state of New York has put a focused emphasis on ensuring the northern corner of the region stays a central player in attracting college graduates and sports lovers to this country environment.
Mr. McKenna also explained how Lake Placid is working to become a global centre of sport.
Lake Placid organisers were quick to point out how it wasn’t all about economic development, but about the athletes that will compete there in 2023 — and inspiring future generations of local youth to pursue sport. Perhaps counterintuitive to the USA’s robust university sports system, but the country’s collegiate events can take precedence over international events. It’s an issue that the organisers are working on by engaging the various university sport governing bodies, like the NCAA, NJCAA and NAIA, and all the U.S. national governing bodies of winter sports to ensure the best North American athletes are on the startling for the continent’s first Winter Universiade in over 40 years.
“Our goal is to have a team of very high level in Lucerne 2021 and continue on with this through two years later to the Winter Universiade in Lake Placid,” said Delise O’Meally, Secretary General of the United States’ National University Sports Federation.
New York State Senator Betsy Little brought the Lake Placid presentation to a rousing close. “We want to maintain the region’s reputation as a leader in sports events,” Mrs. Little said. “Lake Placid has a wonderful legacy of successfully hosting international multi-sport events and we see this legacy being extended by hosting another Winter Universiade. I do hope our report gave you a sense of where we are at — and where we are going.”
