The first ever Winter Youth Olympic Games will take place from 13th – 22nd January 2012 in Innsbruck and Seefeld (www.innsbruck2012.com).
It will be the third Olympics staged by Innsbruck, making it the first city in the world to host the Olympic Games on three occassions, having previously hosted the 1964 and 1976 Winter Games.
The goal for the new Youth Olympics is, we're told, to introduce young athletes to the Olympic spirit, to provide them with a public arena to showcase their talents.
Over 1000 athletes, from more than 70 nations, aged between 14 and 18 will compete across a range of disciplines from biathlon to bobsleigh to downhill skiing and ice hockey.
The construction of the Olympic Village is reported to be almost complete and many of the Olympic venues used in 1964 and 1976 have been renovated and upgraded.