The 2019 Winter Universiade (Russian: Зимняя Универсиада 2019), the XXIX Universiade, was a multi-sport event for student and youth athletes which took place from 2 to 12 March 2019 in the Russian city of Krasnoyarsk. The 2019 Winter Universiade was the third Universiade hosted in Russia and second as an independent country. The first Universiade, when Russia was a Soviet Republic, was hosted by Moscow in 1973, whereas Kazan, capital of the Republic of Tatarstan, hosted the 2013 Summer Universiade. It is the first Winter Universiade hosted by Russia, and the second time that the event was held in a former USSR republic (the other being the 2017 Universiade in Almaty).

Krasnoyarsk was unanimously elected as the host city of the 29th Winter Universiade 2019 by an Executive Committee meeting in Brussels on 9 November 2013. At the Opening Ceremony the fire was lit by two of the event's ambassadors, bandy player Sergey Lomanov and former artistic gymnast Svetlana Khorkina.

For the first time in Universiade history, bandy and ski-orienteering were included as optional sports. Bandy had bigger spectator crowds than any other sport.^[2] The budget of the 2019 Universiade in Krasnoyarsk equalled 67.8 billion rubles (1.021 billion US dollars): 43.3 billion rubles from the federal budget, 24.5 billion rubles from the budget of the Krasnoyarsk Krai. Russia won a record of 41 gold and 112 overall medals, while South Korea placed second with 6 and 14, respectively. Japan was third, winning 5 gold and 13 overall medals.

On 1 September 2012, the bidding campaign for the right to host the 2019 Winter and Summer Universiades was launched. On the same day, the Russian Students Sport Union (RSSU) sent a letter to the President of the International University Sports Federation (FISU), Mr. Claude-Louis Galen, about Krasnoyarsk's intention to apply for the right to host the Winter Universiade 2019.^[3] The choice of the city was primarily determined by the desire and capability of the territory of Krasnoyarsk to host the University Games.^[4] The capital of the Krasnoyarsk Krai, it is one of the country's student centres with the Siberian Federal University located there.

On 3 April 2013, FISU, officially confirmed two candidate cities:^[5]

• Krasnoyarsk, Krasnoyarsk Krai, Russia
• Canton of Valais, Switzerland

During the whole year, each applicant worked on the preparation of application dosier. On 14 September 2013, Krasnoyarsk presented its Bidding Book at the FISU headquarters and received the status of a candidate city. The only competitor at this stage, the Canton of Valais, withdrew from candidacy.

On 9 November 2013, in Brussels, FISU members elected Krasnoyarsk as the host city of the 29th Winter Universiade 2019 by a closed vote.^[6][7]

The management system of the Winter Universiade 2019 consists of four main levels: Organising Committee, Executive Directorate, Supervisory Board, Coordinating Council.

The budget of the 2019 Universiade in Krasnoyarsk equalled 67.8 billion rubles (1.021 billion US dollars): 43.3 billion rubles from the federal budget and 24.5 billion rubles from the budget of the Krasnoyarsk Krai.^[12]

The list of main venues was approved by the Organizing Committee of the Winter Universiade 2019.^[15]

There were events in eleven sports. Athletes competed for 76 sets of awards in 11 sports: alpine skiing, bandy, biathlon, cross-country skiing, curling, figure skating, freestyle skiing, ice hockey, short track, ski orienteering, snowboarding.

For the first time in Universiade history, bandy^[27] and ski-orienteering^[28] were included as optional sports. Freestyle skiing was another optional sport at this Universiade.^[29]

58 national university sports federations sent at least an athlete for the 2019 Winter Universiade.^[30] The Philippines and the United Arab Emirates made their debut in Winter Universiade while Ukraine boycotted the event due to the Ukrainian government refusal to fund Ukrainian athletes competing in tournaments being held in Russia.^[31]

  *   Host nation (Russia)

More information Rank, Nation ...

Rank	Nation	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
1	Russia*	41	39	31	111
2	South Korea	6	4	4	14
3	Japan	5	4	4	13
4	Austria	3	3	0	6
5	Finland	3	2	7	12
6	Norway	3	2	3	8
7	France	2	4	7	13
8	Switzerland	2	2	3	7
9	Germany	2	1	2	5
	Sweden	2	1	2	5
11	Belarus	2	1	0	3
12	Czech Republic	1	2	3	6
13	Canada	1	2	2	5
14	China	1	2	1	4
15	Italy	1	1	1	3
16	Poland	1	1	0	2
17	Kazakhstan	0	4	4	8
18	Slovakia	0	1	0	1
19	Georgia	0	0	1	1
	Great Britain	0	0	1	1
Totals (20 entries)		76	76	76	228

Close

Russia won a record of 41 gold and 111 overall medals, while South Korea placed second with 6 and 14, respectively. Japan was third, winning 5 gold and 13 overall medals.^[32]

On 2 March 2018 four postage stamps from the "29th Winter Universiade 2019 Krasnoyarsk. Sports venues" series were issued by the Russian Post. In addition to sports arenas, each stamp depicts the emblem of the Winter Universiade 2019.^[33]

• Multi-purpose Complex Biathlon Academy
• Alpine Skiing Complex Fun Park Bobrovy Log
• Platinum Arena Ice Arena
• Ivan Yarygin Sports Palace

The Opening ceremony was held at Platinum Arena and ran from 20:19 to 22:47 pm local time (Krasnoyarsk Time). It was officially opened by President of Russia Vladimir Putin.^[34]

The opening ceremony featured scenes with paintings of Vasily Surikov, who was born in Krasnoyarsk. In one of those his "Capture of a Snow Town" was used. The folk song "Valenki" was performed by Nyusha for the upcoming Maslenitsa. Then, singer Zara sang a lullaby on a golden moon. Also in the ceremony famous Siberians such as writer Viktor Astafyev, painter Andrey Pozdeyev and opera singer Dmitry Khvorostovsky were mentioned. The final part featured figure skater Alexei Yagudin.^[34]

The fire was lit via a bandy ball, for the first time in history.^[35]

The closing ceremony was held at the Platinum Arena from 20:00 to 21:30 pm local time (Krasnoyarsk Time) on 12 March 2019 which handed over the FISU flag to what would've been the next host city, Lucerne, Switzerland for the next edition in 2021, but due to COVID-19, that event would be canceled. Therefore, 2021 would be the first year to not host a Winter Universiade, and the next Winter Universiade would be hosted at Lake Placid, USA in 2023

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•  Russia portal