The 31st winter edition of the FISU World University Games (Winter Universiade) is set to take place in Lake Placid, USA, on Thursday 12 January until Thursday 22 January 2023. Twenty five Australian athletes are expected to compete in the largest multi-sport winter event in the world, after the Winter Olympics.
As the youth version of the Winter Olympics, the Winter Universiade, run by International University Sports Federation (FISU), will be the camping ground for over 1,500 collegiate athletes, bringing together over 600 universities in 50 countries to participate in variety of winter sports. UWA Sport General Manager, Ian Fitzpatrick will return to the helm, acting as Head of Delegation for the World University Games. After a cycle of cancellations due to COVID, Ian will return to the role with a wealth of experience in a variety of sport environments including not-for-profit, commercial, consulting and service sectors.
Speaking on his return appointment, Ian is excited by the prospect of working closely with one of the largest Australian (Uniroos) teams and supporting a number of talented student athletes.
As one of the largest Australian teams to participate in this global university sport event, Ian is proud of the growth in the Uniroos team but also the FISU World University Games as a global platform for student athletes to compete at the highest level.
The World University Games will reignite the celebrated history of Lake Placid, hosts of the 1932 and 1982 Winter Olympics. The eleven-day competition will combine high-level sport with educational and cultural events that extend beyond sport, driving FISU's motto of 'Excellence in Mind and Body'. The competition program will include the standard nine compulsory sports events along with three optional sports based on the organising committee to ensure the world event stays on the leading edge of sport delivery and innovation. The 2023 FISU World University Games torch relay is set to commence on Wednesday 7 December 2022 on the Alfred University campus, Alfred, New York, USA.
The 2023 Winter Universiade is set to be broadcasted to more than 100 countries, reaching over 300 million viewers.
For more information on the 2023 Lake Placid FISU World University Games, visit the webpage.