“All four FIL Continents will be represented”
Innsbruck-Igls (pps) A total of 21 Member Federations of the International Luge Federation (FIL) have qualified with at least one athlete for the première of the inaugural edition of the Winter Youth Olympic Games (YOG) in Innsbruck-Igls, January 13-22. This is the result of the qualifying events as reported by the Chairman of the FIL Sport Commission, Sepp Benz of Switzerland.
“We are especially happy that Australia and New Zealand have qualified so that all four continents with FIL Member Federations will therefore be represented at the Youth Olympic Games,” said Benz who is also Chairman of the FIL Youth Commission. A total of 24 women, 25 men and 11 doubles teams will compete at the Youth Olympic Games.
Eleven member federations have qualified with at least one athlete in the women’s and men’s singles as well as a doubles team so that they can build a team to compete in the Olympic première of the Team Relay Event. Allowed – and specifically welcomed by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) – are teams consisting of athletes from more than one country. However, only athletes from a maximum of two national member federations are allowed to build such a team.
After the end of the qualifying events the following national member federations will be represented at the first Winter Youth Olympic Games with at least one participant:
Latvia (LAT), Canada (CAN), Austria (AUT), Germany (GER), Russia (RUS), the United States of America (USA), Ukraine (UKR), Slovakia (SVK), Italy (ITA), Australia (AUS), Poland (POL), Bulgaria (BUL), Chinese Taipei (TPE), New Zealand (NZL), Switzerland (SUI), Roumania (ROU), Kazakhstan (KAZ), Bosnia and Herzegovina (BIH), Czech Republic (CZE), Norway (NOR) and Croatia (CRO).
Youth Olympic Games – Schedule of all luge events
Sunday, January 15
14:00-16:00 hrs men‘s singles
Monday, January 16
14:00-16:30 hrs women’s singles and doubles
Tuesday, January 17
14:00-16:30 hrs Team Relay Event
(Important: There will be two runs each in the women’s and men’s singles as well as doubles events.
In the Team Relay Event mixed gender teams are allowed.)
Information on the 2012 YOG
http://www.innsbruck2012.com
