The ninth Asian Winter Games are set to make history when they take place in Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, from February 7 to 14, 2025. Organizers have announced a record participation with 34 National Olympic Committees (NOCs) registering for the event.
Among the competing teams, China, Japan, and South Korea will participate in all sports, showcasing their athletic prowess on a global stage. The most popular events include Alpine skiing with 25 NOCs registered, followed by short track speed skating and figure skating, each with 21 teams. Cross-country skiing and snowboarding are also drawing significant interest, with 18 and 16 NOCs registered respectively.
Approved by the Olympic Council of Asia, the upcoming Games will feature six sports, 11 disciplines, and a total of 64 events. Exciting new additions to the lineup include mixed doubles curling, ski mountaineering, and synchronized aerials of freestyle skiing, marking their debut at the Asian Winter Games.
Bai Zhiguo, Deputy Secretary-General of the Asian Winter Games Organizing Committee and Director of the Harbin Sports Bureau, highlighted that the competition venues will be split between Harbin and Yabuli Town, approximately 193 kilometers apart. Harbin will host the ice sports events, while Yabuli will be the venue for snow sports at the Yabuli Ski Resort.
All competition venues are currently undergoing extensive upgrades, including improvements to cooling, dehumidification, lighting, heating, networking, and other functional facilities. The renovation work is nearing completion, with the Harbin Ice Hockey Arena and the ski mountaineering facilities at Yabuli already finished. The remaining venues are scheduled to be fully operational by the end of September.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
