Beijing, Oct 14 — A record 3,716 participants from 63 countries and regions have registered for the 2027 Winter Universiade in Changchun, Jilin Province, in northeast China, the organisers announced on Wednesday.
The Games, scheduled for January 15 to 25, will feature 97 medal events across 12 disciplines. Organisers said the number of registrations was the highest in Winter Universiade history.
China is assembling a delegation of about 400 members, including approximately 240 athletes, and plans to compete in 11 of the 12 disciplines, with ice hockey the only exception, reports Xinhua.
"I hope the Changchun Winter Universiade will inspire more young people to take an interest in ice and snow sports, get involved and develop a lasting passion for them," Chinese curler Dong Ziqi said.
The curling competition is scheduled to begin on January 12, three days before the official opening, while popular events including short-track speed skating, speed skating, freestyle skiing and aerials will take place on weekends.
The organisers said cost efficiency and sustainability have been central to preparations, with all 13 competition venues being upgraded from existing facilities rather than built from scratch.
The venues will remain open to the public after the Games, serving as facilities for professional training, sporting competitions and recreational winter sports.
A few days ago, medals, the torch, uniforms and equipment for the Changchun 2027 Winter Universiade were unveiled at the 100-day countdown event at Changchun International Aviation Expo City in Changchun, China.
The torch, named "Ji Xiang", or "Auspicious Flight", is inspired by the clivia, Changchun's city flower. Its upper section features a filmstrip motif and 12 winter sports icons representing the Games' disciplines, a reference to Changchun's film industry.
Snowflake and ginseng flower motifs appear near the top, while ski-inspired lines run down the sides and a wheel-hub pattern decorates the base.
The torch stands 711 millimetres tall, a reference to the highest elevation in Changchun's urban area, 711 meters.
The medals, named "Ji Meng," or "Auspicious Dream," combine traditional Chinese cultural elements, winter sports imagery, and features associated with Changchun.
The front features patterns inspired by skate blades and ski tracks, while the reverse depicts the "First Jade Bird of Ancient China," an artefact unearthed at the Wutaishan historic site in Nong'an, Changchun. Part of the bird design is inlaid with Songhua stone from Jilin.