Gangwon 2024: 100 Days to Go and the venues that will be on show at the Winter Youth Olympic Games
As Asia's first-ever Winter Youth Olympic Games (YOG) edges nearer, we take a look at the impressive venues that will be on show at Gangwon 2024, including the reused infrastructure from the Olympic Games PyeongChang 2018.
With just 100 days to go until the Winter Youth Olympic Games Gangwon 2024 Opening Ceremony on 19 January 2024, it's time to get aquainted with the venues that will be on show.
While the event will be Asia’s first Youth Winter Olympic Games, it will be building upon a strong legacy from the Winter Olympics PyeongChang 2018, and Gangwon 2024 will rely heavily on pre-existing infrastructure.
There are two main clusters for the sports venues.
The first is the PyeongChang mountain cluster, which will host snow sports including: Bobsleigh, skeleton, luge, biathlon, cross-country skiing, Nordic Combined, ski jumping, alpine skiing, freestyle skiing, and snowboarding.
Meanwhile, the ice rink-based sports taking place in the Gangneung coastal cluser include: speed skating, short track speed skating, figure skating, ice hockey, and clurling.
Below, we take a look at every venue being used at Gangwon 2024 in more detail.
Alpensia Sliding Centre (PyeongChang)
Disciplines: Bobsleigh, Skeleton, and Luge
The Alpensia Sliding Centre was used for sliding events during the Olympic Winter Games Pyeongchang 2018.
Competitors and fans will need to wrap up warm for the 120m height difference from the top to the bottom!
As a legacy from the 2018 Winter Games, the venue has been used for a number of international events, including luge Asian Championships and Continental Cup races in luge, bobsleigh, and skeleton. It's also used by national athletes as a training venue.
Alpensia Biathlon Centre (PyeongChang)
Disciplines: Biathlon, Cross Country Skiing, and Nordic Combined
With a cross-country skiing course, shooting range, and stand, the Alpensia Biathlon Centre is able to host all three sports.
The venue sits at a minimum altitude of 749m and a maximum of 796m, while the shooting range is 82.5×50m.
Alpensia Ski Jumping Center (PyeongChang)
Disciplines: Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined
Boasting an impressive 50,000-seat capacity, there is sure to be a fantastic atmosphere at the Alpensia Ski Jumping Center.
With five ski jumps, the venue was used at PyeongChang 2018 and is the only ski jumping center in Korea that can be used all year round.
Jeongseon High 1 Ski Resort (Jeongseon)
Disciplines: Alpine Skiing and Mogul (Freestyle Skiing)
Located near the Youth Olympic Village Jeongseon High 1, this ski resort complex is one of the three major ski resorts in Korea.
There are 18 slopes in total and the the venue also hosted the 2019 ISMF Asian Ski Mountaineering Cup.
Apollo 4 and Apollo 6 will be used for Alpine Skiing while Hera 3 is for Dual Moguls.
Hoengseong Welli Hilli Park Ski Resort (Hoengseong)
Disciplines: Freestyle Skiing (Halfpipe, Slopestyle, Big Air, and Cross), Snowboarding (Halfpipe, Slopestyle, Big Air, and Cross)
Opened in December 1995, the Hoengseong Welli Hilli Park Ski Resort has 20 slopes and has been used by extensively by members of the public and for elite competition ever since.
The resort enjoys a high quality of snow, and hosted the 2004 and 2008 Snowboard World Cup stops, and the 2009 Snowboard World Championships.
Challenge 5 will be used for Slope Style and Big Air, Bravo 1 for Cross. The Halfpipe event will be held in the centre of the ski slopes.
Gangneung Oval (Gangneung)
Discipline: Speed Skating
Gangneung Oval is an indoor venue located in Gangneung Park.
The venue's 400m double track was used for speed skating events during Pyeongchang 2018 and enjoys a capacity of 7,600 seats.
Gangneung Ice Arena (Gangneung)
Disciplines: Short track speed skating and Figure skating
Short track speed skating and Figure skating will take place at the Gangneung Ice Arena, another venues that was used at the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Games.
There are two ice rinks (60×30m), and arena has a capacity of 12,000 seats.
Since the 2018 Games, the basement rink has been transformed to a swimming pool opened to the public, and the main rink is used for cultural purposes such as a concert hall after installing a wooden floor.
Gangneung Hockey Centre (Gangneung Park)
Discipline: Ice Hockey
The Gangneung Hockey Centre was completed in March 2017 and served as the ice hockey venue during Pyeongchang 2018.
The training center has two ice rinks (60m and 30m), accommodating 10,000 seats.
Gangneung Curling Centre (Gangneung)
Discipline: Curling
The indoor Gangneung Curling Center has a rich and diverse sporting resume, having hosted ice hockey at the 1999 Winter Asian Games, and the 2001 Short Track World Championships.
During Pyeongchang 2018, the venue was used to hold curling events, with four curling sheets and a capacity of 3,500 seats.
The basement rink was used as a training rink for ice sports during Pyeongchang 2018, and is currently used by the public all year.