The Winter Youth Olympic Games Lillehammer 2016 are coming!

The second edition of the Winter Youth Olympic Games will take place from 12 to 21 February in Lillehammer, Norway, and here is how you can keep up with all the action.

For the first time at the Winter YOG, live coverage will be available through the IOC’s YouTube channel http://www.youtube.com/Olympics, along with daily on-demand coverage of the sporting action and the festivals happening around Lillehammer, showcasing some of the biggest names in music, arts and culture.

For fans in Norway, there will be daily live coverage and highlights on NRK, along with a one-hour magazine show produced by local media students which will be featured on http://www.lillehammer2016.no

You don’t have to be in Norway to catch all the action as broadcasters around the world will also be showing the young athletes’ achievements from the second Winter YOG.

In an Olympic first, the International Olympic Committee is working with Worldwide TOP Partner Samsung to bring the Winter Youth Olympic Games Lillehammer 2016 to life through virtual reality (VR) coverage. The Opening Ceremony on 12 February will be the first ever Olympic ceremony streamed live in VR, and Samsung Gear VR users will be able to enjoy immersive angles of the Olympic torch lighting, the Parade of Nations and other ceremony highlights. Throughout the Games, the IOC will offer, in collaboration with Samsung, daily VR sporting highlights to provide a captivating Winter YOG experience. In order to access the VR content from Lillehammer, viewers will need a Samsung phone and compatible VR gear. Visit olympic.org on your mobile phone for a direct link to the Youth Olympic Games VR experience. GearVR headset users will also be able to access all the Lillehammer 2016 content by downloading the NextVR app from the Oculus store.

On social media, be a part of the biggest YOG work of art using #iLoveYOG on any of your posts about the Youth Olympics and follow the latest highlights, results, amazing images and info on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat. Russian and Chinese fans can also follow on Sina Weibo and VK. All the latest stories, galleries and results will feature on Olympic.org, the Lillehammer 2016 website and social media platforms. All this content can be found on the official Lillehammer 2016 app, available on Android and in the App Store.

Olympic fans will also be able to follow live chats with some of their favourite Olympians at the heart of the Youth Olympic Village (schedule below). For the first time, the IOC has also teamed up with popular YouTubers Tom Scott and Domestic Geek, who will produce exciting content at the YOG to reach new audiences.

Can’t wait for the YOG? Then check out all the latest videos, tips and exclusive interviews with some of the biggest stars in winter sports, all on http://www.YouTube.com/Olympics.

Sporting legends to support young athletes at Lillehammer 2016

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) today announced the list of 15 Athlete Role Models (ARMs) who will support the young athletes going to the 2nd Winter Youth Olympic Games from 12 to 21 February 2016 in Lillehammer, Norway.

Selected by the Winter International Federations whose sports will be featured at Lillehammer 2016, the list includes many legendary names from the world of sport, including Olympic and world champions. In Lillehammer, they will play a key role in supporting, mentoring and offering advice to the 1,100 young athletes who will be participating in the Games.

The ARMs will be accessible to the athletes in the Youth Olympic Village and during a series of educational activities and workshops within the Learn & Share Programme. These activities will focus on areas such as skills development, how to lead healthy lifestyles, environment and social responsibility, and Olympism.

The ARMs will be behind the scenes during competition and will also be available for informal chats in a specially created lounge that will be open to all participants. The athletes can also learn valuable lessons from the ARMs during “Chat with Champions” sessions – a Q&A format to promote discussion with the young athletes. Fans of the YOG, meanwhile, will have the opportunity to put their questions directly to the ARMs during informal chat sessions on the IOC’s social media channels.

The main goal behind the ARM Programme is to allow the ARMs to share their experiences and inspire the athletes to be the best they can be both on and off the field of play.

Angela Ruggiero, Chair of the IOC Coordination Commission and Olympic champion in ice hockey, said: “The Athlete Role Models are giving back to sport by supporting the next generation of young athletes, both on and off the field of play. The ARMs have a wealth of knowledge to share with the young athletes garnered from their successful careers as sportsmen and women, and will be a huge support and comfort to the young athletes, many of whom will be experiencing their first multi-sport international competition.”

Also in attendance will be the IOC Athletes’ Commission, which will play a key role in the educational activities and workshops for athletes off the field of play.

For more information on the Youth Olympic Games, please visit: http://www.olympic.org/yog.

Lillehammer 2016 Putting IOC Olympic Agenda 2020 Into Action

The International Olympic Committee Coordination Commission today wrapped up its fourth visit to Norway, held in the mountain region of Oeyer, impressed with the progress made with 10 months to go to the second edition of the Winter Youth Olympic Games (YOG).

The Lillehammer 2016 Organising Committee (LYOGOC) has embraced and implemented many of the Olympic Agenda 2020 recommendations into the Games in response to President Bach’s request to “look for options to scale down the protocol at the Youth Olympic Games.” The Coordination Commission wholeheartedly supported the recent decision to move the half-pipe competitions to the existing venue in Oslo, creating more flexibility for the organisation. The decision was taken to hold victory ceremonies within the venues at the end of the competitions, reducing the protocol of a medals plaza, and a scaled down farewell party will replace the Closing Ceremony.

IOC Coordination Commission Chair Angela Ruggiero said: “The team in Lillehammer has taken its sustainable approach to a new level with its creative and innovative ideas to not only reduce cost, but to make the YOG unique. I can feel the excitement building as the Olympic rings return to Norway in less than 300 days. With the extensive plans to engage all young people across the nation, Lillehammer 2016 will leave a great legacy long after the Games have concluded.” She continued: “From day one, we have had a great partnership with the team in Lillehammer and long may this collaboration continue as we go towards the Games!”

Moving away from the traditional Torch Relay, LYOGOC presented its Torch Tour concept, which will engage all 19 counties of Norway. This “road-show” will take the flame nationwide to visit nominated young “sport change-makers”. A flame event will be hosted in each county, organised by 200 young leaders who will go on to support the thousands of Games-time volunteers.

Engaging with communities, another key Olympic Agenda 2020 recommendation, has been put into practice by the local organisers and supported by government at national, county and municipal level. A total of 21,000 young Norwegians will experience their “Dream Day” at the YOG; enjoying sports competitions, participating in the “Try the Sport” programme and enjoying the music and culture festivals that are under development.

Furthermore, LYOGOC gave an update on its projects to involve young people at all levels of the organisation, from young designers who created the mascot, pictograms and Look of the Games, to young sports presenters and competition managers. This commitment to involve young people was further supported by the decision to follow the successful Innsbruck 2012 model of free tickets to all the sports competitions.

With legacy at the heart of the organisation, starting with the re-use of existing venues from the 1994 Olympic Winter Games, the Coordination Commission was happy with the progress made on the Youth Olympic Village (YOV), which is near to completion. Supported by the IOC’s EUR 13.5 million investment, this venue will be used as student housing before and after the Games. Several other legacy commitments have also come to fruition, including contributing to the 10-year plan to boost Norwegian youth sport and the establishment of a Lillehammer Legacy Centre.

Tomas Holmestad, LYOGOC’s CEO, said: “The IOC has confirmed that we are on the right track in our planning, and, with its guidance and openness to our ideas, we have created some new and exciting elements to make Lillehammer 2016 totally unique and totally awesome.”

Lindsey Vonn Takes On Youth Olympic Games Role For Lillehammer 2016

With 500 days to go to the second Winter Youth Olympic Games in Lillehammer, Norway, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced today that Olympic champion Lindsey Vonn will reprise her role as Ambassador for the Games, which will take place in February 2016.

The American Alpine skier has a wealth of experience to share with the young athletes who will participate in Lillehammer: from winning the downhill gold at Vancouver 2010 and four overall World Cup victories to the challenges of dealing with injuries and balancing the pressures of international competition. In her role as Ambassador, Lindsey will reach not only the next generation of elite athletes, but also many other young people around the world to encourage them to get active and enjoy the benefits of sport and the learning experiences integrated throughout the Youth Olympic Games.

As the first Ambassador for the inaugural Winter Youth Olympic Games in Innsbruck in 2012, Lindsey is once again committed to supporting the event along with fellow Alpine skier Kjetil Jansrud, the Norwegian Olympic super G champion who was announced as an Ambassador for Lillehammer 2016 earlier this year.

“It is amazing to be back for more Youth Olympic action! Innsbruck 2012 was such an inspirational event, not just to the young athletes there, but also for the kids watching,” Lindsey said. “It showcases, in a totally unique way, how much fun and excitement there is in winter sports. Lillehammer with its Olympic history and famous venues will provide the best experience for the athletes on and off the field of play – I am very excited to be a part of it.”

The IOC chooses Ambassadors for each edition of the Youth Olympic Games. Sporting legends such as Usain Bolt, Michael Phelps, Yao Ming and Michelle Wie, to name a few, have supported this campaign that is shared with the 42 million fans the IOC has on its various social media channels.

Lindsey Vonn, photo credit upi.com

The second edition of the Winter Youth Olympic Games will take place in Lillehammer from 12 to 21 February 2016. The programme will feature the seven sports on the Olympic programme plus some new editions, including team ski-snowboard cross and monobob. Off the field of play, athletes will be encouraged to take part in a unique programme of activities and workshops, including sessions on healthy eating, injury prevention, the dangers of doping and illegal betting, careers in sport and media training. All existing venues will be used from the legacy of the Lillehammer 1994 Olympic Winter Games.