Ice Climbing Welcomed at Youth Olympics 2016

The UIAA has announced that ice climbing will be part of the 2016 Youth Olympic Games in Lillehammer, Norway.

From Feb. 12 to 21, top youth athletes in a number of sports will be heading to Norway to compete. Ice Climbing will part of the Sjoggfest (meaning snow festival and named after the event mascot, Sjogg).

The UIAA has worked with the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the Lillehammer Youth Olympic Games Organising Committee (LYOGOC) and the Tyrili climbing center in defining a specific program for ice climbing.

The program will feature two elements. The first comprises masterclass sessions where three top-level ice climbers will demonstrate their prowess and provide the watching public with an introduction to the sport – its speed, technique, power and different disciplines.

The second component of the programme is dedicated to the public who will be able to experience ice climbing for themselves under the guidance and supervision of UIAA experts and volunteers from the 2016 LYOGOC organizing committee.

Ice climbing’s appearance in Lillehammer forms part of the UIAA’s commitment to making the sport part of the official Winter Olympic competition programme in 2022.

Canada has a number of strong youth ice climbing competitors who could make the trip. Two of the most experienced are Karlee Hall and Noah Beek.

For more info about the 2016 Youth Olympic Games please visit here.