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Feature: Winter Universiade in Slovak mountains is knocking on the door

Xinhua, January 23, 2015 Adjust font size:

The greatest academic sport event of the planet is knocking on the door.

The 27th Winter Universiade of 2015 will kick off on Saturday in Slovakia and go through to Feb. 14 to finish in Spain. The 2015 edition will be the first Universiade to be hosted by two countries as the first part of this event is located at Strbske Pleso and Osrblie in Northern Slovakia to Feb. 1.

"Slovakia will introduce the best of what university sport has to offer in these attractive disciplines in ski jumping, Nordic combined, cross-country skiing and biathlon," said the Secretary General of the Organizing Committee Peter Hamaj.

Nearly 500 athletes are expected to come to Strbske Pleso and Osrblie from 32 countries and regions, mainly from Europe, but also from Australia, China, Japan, Canada and the United States.

"Not only our staff, but also a number of external partners are busy 24/7 in order to make the whole area at Strbske Pleso and Osrblie 100% ready. No one is going to ask for reasons if it doesn't get done, so there's no other way; we just have to," added Hamaj.

The majority of delegations have already arrived at Strbske Pleso, resort in the High Tatras. Furukawa Toshimasa, head of the Japanese delegation, said they are looking forward to the event.

"We would like to meet and communicate with other countries, they also want to win some medals," stressed Toshimasa.

The Ukrainian team expect successful results as well.

"Our 50 athletes will be competing at Strbske Pleso and Osrblie. They have many friends among Slovaks and they are looking forward to spending time here," said Ukraine delegation chief Gavrylko Valentin.

The final preparations in the High Tatras are gaining momentum. Not only the sports venues, but the accreditation center and official premises as well are finally beginning to resemble the Universiade.

"The only thing that is complicating life for all of us is the weather. The Tatras are experiencing a temperature inversion, with temperatures above zero and fog. Therefore we are forced to artificially cover the cross-country skiing trails and ski jump with snow," explained Hamaj.

The Universiade is an international sports festival organized for university athletes by the International University Sports Federation - FISU. The name is a combination of the words "University" and "Olympiad". Endi