The 2018 Winter Olympics are near, and this upcoming edition will come with new events, new ways to enjoy the competitions, and with almost certainty new records. Pyeongchang in South Korea was the city selected to host one of the Winter Olympics – the most highly anticipated event for winter sport professionals and aficionados worldwide.
Pyeongchang’s First Time Hosting
After previous failed bids, the 2018 Winter Olympics will be held in Pyeongchang, South Korea. The city beat Munich and Annecy as the venue for the upcoming games. This will be the first time South Korea has hosted the renowned international sport competition. From South Korea, only Seoul has hosted the Olympics before with the 1988 Summer Olympics.
Pyeongchang is located more than 100 miles east of Seoul, in the Gangwon province of South Korea. Its high altitude makes it a top-notch destination for hiking and skiing. Many of the events will be held at world famous Alpensia Sports Park, which is part of the popular Alpensia Resort.
Save The Date
The winter games will start on February 8, 2018, and end on February 25, 2018. While the Opening Ceremony will take place on Friday, February 9, the first competitions will happen on February 8.
The Winter Olympics will feature 15 sports, including individual and team events. Several competitions will take place on the wonderful slopes: biathlon, cross-country skiing, alpine skiing, freestyle skiing, Nordic combined, ski jumping and snowboard. The other events will take place on ice: skeleton and speed skating, curling, bobsled, figure skating, hockey, luge and short track.
An Adorable Mascot Will Lead The Way
Following decades of tradition, the 2018 Winter Olympics will have “Soohorang” as its own mascot. The animated white tiger is the symbol for the Pyeongchang Olympics. In South Korea, the white tiger is considered the country’s “guardian animal”.
The name “Soohorang” comes from a mix of several Korean words that are meant to represent the Olympics. “Sooho” refers to “protection” in Korean; “rang” comes from the Korean name for tiger, “ho-rang-i,” as well as the traditional song “Jeong-seon A-ri-rang,” a folk chant of the Gangwon Province, which is the province where the events will take place.
World Class Venues
Two major venues were chosen for the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympics: the mountain resort of Alpensia and the coastal city of Gangneung. The high quality of the facilities was one of the deciding factors behind the South Korean victory in the bidding process.
The spotlight of 2018 games will be The Alpensia Cluster. This location will host the opening and closing Ceremonies in the Olympic Park of Hoenggye. Also part of the cluster; the Alpensia Ski Jumping Stadium for ski jumping events, the Alpensia Biathlon Centre for the biathlon, the Alpensia Nordic Centre for cross-country skiing competitions, the Alpensia Sliding Centre designated for luge and skeleton, and the Olympic Village and the Yongpyong Resort for all the alpine skiing related events.
The second venue is the coastal cluster in the city of Gangneung. It has major locations including; the Gangneung Indoor Ice Rink for Curling, the Union Hockey Centre, the Gangneung Sports Complex for all the speed skating events, and the Gyeongpo Ice Hall designated for short track speed and figure skating competitions.
