Logo

Young athletes with disabilities show their strength: Emil Open welcomes competitors from six countries this year

image
Press release

Young athletes with disabilities show their strength: Emil Open welcomes competitors from six countries this year

(České Budějovice, 20. 1. 2025) Third year of the V4 Winter sports competition for disabled youth Games Emil Open will host two hundred participants from Central and South-Eastern Europe. From 22 to 26 January 2025, the athletes will compete against in six sports - downhill and cross-country skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, para-hockey and figure skating. The last-mentioned discipline is a novelty of the current edition. Games, aimed at supporting children and young people with disabilities, are will be held in two venues, in České Budějovice and Lipno nad Vltava river.

A total of 192 athletes, 30 volunteers, 6 participating countries, 6 sports and 2 venues. These are the numbers describing this year's V4 Winter Games Emil Open. In the upcoming third year, the event will be enriched by several new features. The first is the expansion of the participating countries to include Bosnia and Herzegovina, which will join the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Hungary and Albania. The participation of the Visegrad Four countries is certainly not accidental, the Visegrad Fund is co-financing the entire event.

The second innovation is the inclusion of figure skating. "After the first year of the Winter Games, we knew that we would develop the range of sports in which it is possible to compete. Last year, we successfully introduced para-hockey, and this year it will be precisely the aforementioned figure skating. In the Czech Republic, there is only one figure skating club for disabled athletes, and I will be happy if the Games serve as an inspiration for others and we manage to establish a new club in České Budějovice," explains Pavel Zbožinek, president of the organizing committee. Para-hockey and figure skating will take place in the Pouzar Hockey Center in České Budějovice, while the other sports will take place in the Lipno Arena, which is traditionally the main partner of the sporting event.

"All athletes in South Bohemia can expect not only a few days filled with respectable performances in demanding disciplines, which I am proud of, and the joy of movement, but also new knowledge, appropriate rivalry, emotions and solidarity. I am glad that the organizers are fulfilling their vision and expanding the range of sports. This year, handicapped figure skaters will be presenting themselves for the first time in České Budějovice, who, together with para-hockey players, will have their facilities in the multifunctional Pouzar Hockey Center in the Máj housing estate. Both hockey and 'ice dancing' have a long and successful tradition in our beautiful city and may inspire other interested parties. I believe that many fans will come to support the enthusiastic athletes and create a fantastic atmosphere, just like in previous years. I have been a proud patron of handicapped athletes for several years and I would love to see some of them at the XIV. Winter Paralympic Games in Italy in 2026. I will be cheering for everyone. Many thanks to the organizers of Emil Open for organizing this sports festival,” says Dagmar Škodová Parmová, Mayor of České Budějovice.

The Games will traditionally begin with a grand opening ceremony on Wednesday, January 22nd, in front of the Clarion Congress Hotel in České Budějovice, which is another of the main partners of the event. The Games themselves will take place on Thursday 23rd and Friday, January 24th, on the Lipenská ski slope and the Pouzar stadium in České Budějovice. A rich accompanying program is also prepared throughout the South Bohemian Region, including a lecture in cooperation with the Podané ruce Society entitled Safely at the Start: Prevention of Risky Behavior for Young People.

The closing ceremony of the games will take place on Friday evening again at the Clarion Hotel. However, the V4 Winter Games Emil Open 2025 does not end there. Saturday will be a series of accompanying events that will complete the atmosphere of this sports and social gathering of young people.

This year's V4 Winter Games Emil Open will once again be supported by ENERGIE AG BOHEMIA, this time as general partner. "I am very pleased that our group was at the origin of the idea of organizing the Emil Open Winter Games. One of our corporate messages is 'Help and educate', and these games fully fulfill it. If the event is also held in a region where we are active, support is natural for us," concludes Ivan Kafka, Head of Marketing and Communications.

Media contact:

Pavel Zbožínek
+420 602 720 518
zbozinek@emilopen.cz

Logo Emil Open winter

Emilova sportovní, z.s.

Malinovského náměstí 603/4
602 00, Brno
Czech Republic

info@emilopen.cz
Pavel Zbožínek

Przewodniczący Komitetu Organizacyjnego

Mgr. Vojtěch Kocůrek

Wiceprzewodniczący Komitetu Organizacyjnego

© Emilova Sportovní, z.s. | 2017 - 2025
Created by
Created by MODERI s.r.o.