Royal glamor at the Youth Olympic Games in Lillehammer

Lillehammer (RWH)  There will be a touch of royal glamor at the second Youth Olympic Games when Her Royal Highness Princess Ingrid Alexandra of Norway (Photo left) lights the Olympic flame at the opening ceremony in Lysgårdsbakkene Ski Jumping Arena, Lillehammer, on February 12, 2016. In doing so, the 11-year-old princess will follow in her father’s footsteps as it will be exactly 22 years to the day since Crown Prince Haakon lit the flame at the opening ceremony of the 1994 Winter Games in Lillehammer.

The royal family’s keen dedication to the event once again highlights the importance of winter sports in Norway in general, and the Olympic Movement in particular, especially as the winter fairytale of 1994 is fondly remembered by competitors and spectators alike.

Twenty two years later, the whole event is on a much smaller scale and is geared entirely towards young people. In addition to the athletic competition, it will include other activities such as the Culture and Education Program and the chance to experience alternative sporting disciplines, with Athlete Role Models on hand to encourage the youngsters to get involved.

The International Luge Federation (FIL) has appointed Wolfgang Linger (Photo right) as one of these role models. Linger, who won the 2006 and 2010 Olympics in the doubles with his brother Andreas, is also a three-time World Champion. The role of the 32-year-old Austrian who, like his older brother, retired from the sport after winning silver at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia, will be to inspire and mentor the young luge athletes. The Athlete Role Models will be on site both at the competitions and in the Olympic village to provide help and motivation to the young athletes, to answer their questions and give them helpful advice.

They will also play a key role for the young athletes in the Culture and Education Program, which focuses on Olympic values, a healthy lifestyle, social responsibility, and how to use digital media.

Sandra Gasparini from Italy and Saskia Langer of Germany have also been assigned special roles. The two former lugers have been appointed as YOG Ambassadors for their home countries by their National Olympic Committees. The Youth Ambassadors will pass on tips and advice accrued during their own careers to the national YOG teams, encourage them to participate in the wide range of activities offered outside of the YOG competitions, and will also emphasize the importance of the values of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

Sandra Gasparini won a silver medal at the Junior World Championships in 2010 and also took silver with the Italian quartet in the team event at the 2007 World Cup in Innsbruck. The South Tyrolean luger retired from the sport after finishing 14th in the individual competition and fifth with the mixed Italian relay team at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. Saskia Langer won silver behind Austrian athlete Miriam Kastlunger at the inaugural Youth Olympic Games in Innsbruck in 2012. She has also retired from competition due to the high level of internal competition among the female German athletes.