Liberec EYOWF 2011 organisers gain experience in Szczyrk
Friday February 13 2009 10:22 AM
On Sunday, 15th February, the 9th European Youth Olympic Winter Festival starts in the Polish ski resort of Szczyrk along with other towns in the Polish Beskidy. Apart from the young Czech athletes, a delegation consisting of representatives of the Liberec Region and members of the Organising Committee of the upcoming 10th EYOWF 2011, which will be taking place in the Liberec Region, are also taking part.
The Executive Director of the EYOWF 2011 Organising Committee Kateřina Nyčová explains: “The main reason for our visit to Poland is to gain experience with the organisational side of things. We are planning detailed inspections of the sport venues and their facilities; we will pay special attention to organisation of transport, accommodation, security and logistics. Apart from that, we are planning meetings with our colleagues from the Organising Committee and with representatives of the Association of the European Olympic Committees, representatives of each national delegation and of the region. We are also bringing with us special brochures, publications and press materials so we can advertise the Liberec Region, the host of the next Festival, in various different ways.”
There are two important diplomatic tasks lying ahead of the delegation from Liberec. On Tuesday, 17th February, the cultural centre in Szczyrk will play host to Czech Night, a cultural and social event for the Festival participants and guests. As part of the programme a presentation of the Liberec Region will be screened. There will also be performances by the Dance and Movement School Ilma, a drum show by the group Aries, a fashion show by Rea Models Agency, a raffle and samples of traditional Czech cuisine.
On Friday, 20th February, the President of the Liberec Region Stanislav Eichler will officially be handed over the organisers’ flag of the EYOWF during the closing ceremony of the 9th Festival in Szczyrk.
The Youth Olympic Winter and Summer Festivals mean the same as the Olympic Games for adults for athletes between the ages of fourteen and eighteen. It is expected that some 1200 participants from more than forty countries will arrive in the Beskidy in Poland.
Fifteen Athletes from the Liberec Region
Young Czech athletes from the national team will compete in eight disciplines at the 9th EYOWF in Poland.
Traditionally, a major part of the sports team come from the Liberec Region. There are fifteen of them currently wearing the Czech national uniform amounting to one third of the whole team – in Alpine Skiing it is Lukáš Pavlíček (Spartak Rokytnice n. J.), Cross Country Skiing Sandra Schützová (HSK Benecko), Jakub Gräf, Martin Lopota (both Dukla Liberec), Jan Hásek (Ski Club Jablonec n. N.), in the Biathlon Eva Puskarčíková (SG Jablonec n. N.), Lenka Šlechtová, Monika Vítková (both KB Jilemnice), Matěj Krupčík, Martin Tryzna (both SKP Jablonec n. N.), Ski Jumping Hubert Bláha (LSK Lomnice n. P.), Radim Berka (Ještěd Liberec), in the Nordic Combined Ondřej Brezar, Jakub Dědek (both Dukla Liberec), Kryštof Tišer (Ski Club Harrachov). Marco Zakouřil (BK Variace Liberec), an injured figure skater lost his place in the nomination at the last minute.
The Czech juniors have a reputation to improve at a top event like this. Their predecessors at the 2007 Winter Festival at the Spanish resort of Jaca left empty handed, this being the first time in history they did not win a single medal from the event.