Riga - European Capital of Culture 2014 candidate

winter olympicsThe Sigulda Bobsleigh Track, where competitionsboth at the Latvian and world levelstake place, was built in 1986. The originsof bobsleighing in Latvia can be found inSigulda at the end of the 19 th century, whenthe owner of Sigulda Manor, Grand DukeNikolai Kropotkin, built the first 900m longbobsleigh run with one curve. Today, it isone of 17 world bobsleigh tracks, its lengthis 1200 meters, it has 16 curves and maximumspeed is 125km/h. The 3 rd LatvianWinter Olympics will take place here in2014, one more test of strength after theWinter Olympics in Sochi.observation tower will be made accessibleto visitors, and the options to ride thetrack will be improved. Even now, one canfeel like an athlete and try their skills at icecurves in a competition sled.What: Sport competition.Where: Sigulda.When: Winter.Concept author: Sigulda District Board.Organisers: Sigulda District Board, LatvianOlympic Committee.Cooperation partners: Ventspils Board,Riga board, Jelgava board, ValmieraBoard, Priekuļi and Cēsis District Board,Ministry of Education, Cultural andCreative Industries Education Center.Athletes from throughout Latvia will competein 11 winter sports – biathlon, crosscountry skiing, downhill skiing, snowboarding,bobsleigh, luge, skeleton, figure skating,short-track, hockey and curling. Fiveof these events will take place elsewhere inLatvia. The competition is organized basedon the traditions of Olympic games.The event will be similar to the WinterOlympics – it will begin in February with atorch lighting ceremony in Sigulda Castle.Until March, the torch will travel to all municipalitiesand sport halls where Olympiccompetitions will take place. In cooperationwith the District school board and Artschool, various art events will take place:• Creation of 20 snowman costumes,which will carry the team names during the3 rd Latvian Winter Olympics;• Award painting.In the winter of 2014, Sigulda will host othersporting events, most notably the traditionaltoboggan World Cup.An exposition about the history of bobsleighand toboggan is planned in2014. Additionally, the Bobsleigh Track150 151