The 14th National Winter Games will be held in Inner Mongolia autonomous region from Feb 17 to 27. Starting from Jan 9, the youth competitions for curling, short track speed skating, figure skating, as well as the open competitions for speed skating, have been underway in the Hailar competition area.

Inner Mongolia women's ice hockey team members study tactics for the competition. [Photo/Baotou news network]

These games represent the first large-scale comprehensive sports event hosted by Inner Mongolia. It is expected that more than 3,700 athletes will participate, making it the largest and most extensive edition among all previous National Winter Games.

The ice events will take place at the Inner Mongolia Ice Sports Training Center in Hailar district, Hulunbuir city. The snow events will be held at ski resorts in Hulunbuir city, Chifeng city, and Ulaanqab city.

Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Ice Sports Training Center. [Photo/Baotou news network]

The competition program aligns comprehensively with the 2026 Milan Winter Olympics, featuring eight major categories, covering ice skating, skiing, winter biathlon, curling, ice hockey, bobsleigh, skeleton, and skiing mountaineering.

The Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Ice Sports Training Center includes four main facilities – a speed skating rink, a short track speed skating rink, a curling and ice hockey rink, and athlete apartments (which also serve as the media center). The center can accommodate nearly 10,000 spectators simultaneously, making it one of the best indoor ice sports venues in the country, second only to the facilities built for the Beijing Winter Olympics.