Olympic Spirit for everyone: Winter World Masters Games 2020 in Innsbruck
Last updated on 09.10.2019
From 10 to 19 January 2020, the Innsbruck region will host the 3rd Winter World Masters Games. The WWMG 2020 offers ambitious athletes, including enthusiastic amateurs, aged 30+ years the unique opportunity to take part in the world’s largest winter sports festival and to compete internationally.
More than 3,000 sportsmen and women will compete for more than 2,500 medals while performing against a breathtaking Alpine backdrop. Almost all the Olympic winter sports are contested and, under the “Spirit Together” motto, competitors from all over the world will come together and abide by the Olympic values of friendship, achievement and respect.
Twelve sports and side events ensure a varied programme
The World Masters Games have their roots in 1985, when the first summer competition took place in Toronto (Canada). The third winter series is now coming up. In 2020 in the Innsbruck region, the city is expecting more than 3,000 winter sports enthusiasts from all over the world. They will compete in a varied programme consisting of the following 12 sports: Alpine skiing, ski jumping & Nordic combined, ski mountaineering, biathlon, cross-country skiing, ski orienteering, figure skating, speed skating, short track, ice hockey and curling.
The Masters Village in the city centre will be the meeting point for athletes, back-up support teams, guests and locals. Numerous attractions and other activities are planned to take place here. The evening award ceremonies will be at the “Medal Plaza” in the Masters Village, thereby bringing sport into the city.
The host region of Innsbruck is totally prepared for WWMG 2020
The harmonious interplay between vibrant city life and the wide range of sporting opportunities have transformed Innsbruck into one of the most beautiful Alpine/urban holiday destinations in the world. Many of the WWMG sports venues were built for the 1964 and 1976 Winter Olympics and have been regularly updated ever since. For example, the historic Olympiaworld was the stadium used for the Ice Hockey World Championships, the European Handball Championships and in 2018 the Climbing World Championships. During WWMG 2020, that area will function as the sports and administration centre as well as the venue for most ice sports competitions. The ice rinks in Götzens and Telfs will also be used for ice hockey matches. With its new cable car built in 2017, the Patscherkofel, known as the Olympiaberg or Olympic Mountain, will stage the Alpine competitions. The ski mountaineering events are to be held around the so-called Mountaineering Villages in the Sellrain valley ski touring paradise. The famous Bergisel ski jump will not be in use during the 2020 Winter World Masters Games, but it can of course be visited by athletes and their support teams. As part of a special guided tour, visitors can ascend to the ski jumper’s starting point and tremble. First they must be fully secured in a climbing harness, they then slide across on to the start gate and enjoy the breathtaking view from the hill, just like a real ski jumper. Of course, no jump happens, but perched on the “test seat”, the adrenaline rush and palpitations will be just as great.
Other venues
The Olympic region of Seefeld, recognised as one of the world’s best cross-country skiing destinations, serves as a base for the Nordic competitions and the Nordic World Cup was staged there in 2019. The area’s infrastructure has been completely renewed and the cross-country skiing network hugely expanded. Seefeld will also host the ski orienteering competitions. Kitzbühel will be the venue for the curling competition.
Registration is already open
If you want to be part of this unique winter sports festival as an athlete, you need to register quickly at www.innsbruck2020.com. Please note, the number of entrants permitted per sport is not unlimited.
