CHANGCHUN, Oct. 7 (Xinhua) -- With 100 days to go before the Changchun 2027 Winter Universiade, preparations are gathering pace across two host cities in northeast China's Jilin Province, with 13 existing venues being upgraded and 8,100 volunteer candidates recruited for the Games.
Changchun 2027 will be the first Winter Universiade held in China since Harbin hosted the event in 2009, and another major international multi-sport winter event in the country following the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics and the Harbin 2025 Asian Winter Games.
Scheduled to open on Jan. 15, the Games will feature 97 events across 12 sports. Changchun will host 61 events across five ice sports and four snow sports, while Jilin City will stage 36 events across four snow sports.
Organizers said staging a single Games across two cities requires close coordination. The two competition zones will follow the same standards, operating procedures and support requirements, and will share timing, scoring and results systems as well as technical officials, said Liu Wen, an official with the sports competition department of the Jilin competition zone.
Freestyle skiing and freeski will be the only snow sports staged in both cities, putting that coordination to a direct test.
"We apply the same standards throughout the entire process," said Zhan Tiegong, secretary general of the Jilin competition zone committee, adding that renovation and course upgrades in the Jilin zone are nearing completion.
No new permanent competition venues are being built for Changchun 2027. Instead, 13 existing venues, including Changchun Wuhuan Gymnasium and the Jilin Speed Skating Oval, are being upgraded.
The work includes improvements to ice-making, lighting, dehumidification and broadcasting systems. At Beidahu and Songhua Lake ski resorts in Jilin City, trails are being upgraded along with snowmaking, snow storage and safety facilities.
"The renovation is based on the existing venues and strictly follows the principle of minimal intervention and limited upgrades, making use of existing facilities wherever possible and avoiding large-scale demolition and construction," said Zhang Jiugao, an official with the venue construction and city support department of Changchun 2027. Zhang added that the venues will remain in use after the Games, with plans for youth training and public winter sports programs.
Alongside venue upgrades, thousands of people are preparing for Games-time roles. Changchun and Jilin have recruited 8,100 volunteer candidates under the same standards. Among them is Li Xiang, a student at Jilin University.
"Although we come from two different cities, we are serving the same Winter Universiade and following the same standards," Li said. "We will welcome the Games with enthusiasm and professionalism."
Changchun and Jilin have previous experience co-hosting major winter events. Changchun handled ice competitions and Jilin City staged snow events at the 2007 Asian Winter Games. The two cities later collaborated during China's 12th National Winter Games, gaining experience in competition organization, venue operations and cross-city coordination.
"Years of cooperation have helped the two cities refine their approach to jointly staging winter sports events," said Xin Benlu, a professor at Jilin University. He added that Changchun 2027 is an opportunity to further develop Jilin's winter economy and deepen integration between the two cities.
The region has a strong winter sports tradition. Changchun has nurtured athletes such as Ye Qiaobo, Chen Lu, Zhou Yang and Li Jiajun, and has contributed more than 200 athletes to Chinese national teams. Jilin City has produced champions including Li Jianrou, Wu Dajing and Wang Chunli.
That competitive tradition has also helped broaden public participation. Changchun organizes skiing classes for sixth-grade students through government-purchased services, while Jilin City runs winter sports training camps and provides regular free coaching for young people at public ice rinks.
"The winter sports resources, competitive talent and public participation accumulated over the years in Changchun and Jilin have together given us a solid foundation for jointly staging the Games," Zhan said.
Organizers are also preparing to welcome university athletes from around the world. At a recent Changchun 2027 Heads of Delegation meeting, representatives toured competition venues and support facilities in both cities.
Norway's delegation head, Birte Sunde Leirvag, said Norway expects to send its largest-ever Winter Universiade delegation and expressed confidence in the Games given China's hosting experience.
International University Sports Federation (FISU) President Leonz Eder, after inspecting the venues, praised the preparations and said he expects Changchun 2027 to be a high-level competition and a platform for cultural exchange.
In the run-up to the opening ceremony, a series of test events will rehearse the two-city operation, putting venues, competition systems, support services and personnel through comprehensive trials as Changchun and Jilin prepare to operate as a single Games. ■
