Some 910 athletes from 45 countries will take part in the European Youth Olympic Winter Festival (EYOWF) in Braşov this February. The boys will outnumber the girls at the competition, with 559 male competitors and 351 female athletes to take part.

Romania will have a team of around 100, which also includes the coaches, which puts the number of foreign athletes at over 800. Foreign coaches and technical staff will also add to this number.

The highest number of entrants is for the Alpine Skiing event, but all the sports promise exciting competition as young athletes from across Europe compete in the Prahova Valley.

The full list of events and numbers of competitors is as follows: Alpine Skiing :187 athletes, Biathlon: 145 athletes, Cross country: 168 athletes, Ski jumping: 85 athletes, Snowboarding: 91 athletes, Figure skating: 50 athletes, Short Track Speed Skating: 64 athletes, Ice Hockey: 120 athletes.

The games get underway on February 17 and run until February 22.

Each event has its own venue; Alpine Skiing will take place at the Poiana Braşov, while the Cross-Country Skiing and Snowboarding will be at Predeal. Cheile Gradistei hosts the Biathlon and the Ski Jumping is at the new jump in Rasnov. The Ice Hockey is down at the arena in Braşov itself.

The opening ceremony starts at 19:00 on Sunday, February 17 in the Braşov Olympic Arena. The parade of athletes taking part will start the ceremony off, allowing the competitors to watch the rest of the event, according to the EYOWF organizers.

Liam Lever, liam@romania-insider.com

(photo source: sxc.hu)