1992 Winter Olympics (Esquarium)

File:Wel92.png

The games' logo

The 1992 Winter Olympics were a major Esquarian multisport tournament held in Wel, Vyvland in January 1992. It was the eighteenth Esquarian Winter Olympics and second to be held in Vyvland, after the 1972 Winter Olympics in Kreuveld. They were the last Winter Olympics to be held in the same year as a Summer Olympics (the 1992 Bondhaven Olympics), which were held five months later in Bondhaven, Geadland. Almost 1,100 competitors participated in 13 sports.

The vast majority of the games took place in the city of Wel, which lies in the former South Vyvland. The city is a major skiing and snowboarding destination, in addition to having ample facilities for many indoor events. However, skating events also took place in Jesel, Vyvland's fourth-largest city, which lies forty kilometres to Wel's west. The cross-country skiing and biathlon events were held at Pulmohldal, which lies 25 kilometres to Wel's southwest.

Sports

In total, games were held in thirteen sports in 1992. Vyvland's unofficial winter sport, curling, was added to the programme for the first time; all previous sports had been shown at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Quebec. The sports performed (locations in brackets) were:

• Alpine skiing (Wel)
• Biathlon (Pulmohldal)
• Bobsleigh (Wel)
• Cross country skiing (Pulmohldal)
• Curling (Wel)
• Figure skating (Jesel)
• Freestyle skiing (Wel)
• Ice hockey (Wel)
• Luge (Wel)
• Nordic combined (Pulmohldal)
• Ski jumping (Wel)
• Short track speed skating (Jesel)
• Speed skating (Jesel)

Venues

Wel

The venues in Wel were centred around the Olympic Park designed by prominent Vyvlander architect Mafjas Langmaan. The park was constructed at the bottom of the well-known Borgel ski slope on the Welkogel mountain to the city centre's west. In addition to the new facilities constructed, a new light rail line connecting the Park with other Olympic venues was built for the Games. The majority of venues are still used to this day. During the Games, the park consisted of:

• Oisstadion - the 32,000-seater stadium in the centre of the hemispherical Park used for the opening and closing ceremonies and some ice hockey matches.
• Mediacenjre - a media complex.
• Borgel ski slope - used for the skiing and ski jumping events.
• Wel Lygecenjre - used for luge and bobsleigh.
• Kurlengaas - a circular curling arena in the west of the park.

Elsewhere in Wel, existing venues were used:

• Wel X-Park - a snowboarding venue to the south of the main Park, accessible via mainline train.
• Vranker Park - Wel Lions' converted football stadium, used for some ice hockey matches.

Jesel

The Jesel Isrink (capacity 19,500) was used for all ice-skating events.

Pulmohldal

The biathlon, cross-country skiing, and Nordic combined events were held in the small mountain town of Pulmohldal, accessible from the Olympic Park by shuttle bus. Pulmohldal Skilaan, on the southwestern flanks of the Welkogel, was used for the skiing sections, while the shooting portions of the biathlon were performed in Pulmohldal Skilaan II (in reality just a field on the edge of Pulmohldal town).