The 5th International Children’s Winter Games were held from January 26-31, 2011 in Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada. Kelowna was pleased to be the first host city for the International Children’s Winter Games outside of Europe. The Games were a tremendous success with almost 500 athletes and coaches from 37 cities attended the Games.
The Games aim to enable, develop and advance the meeting, understanding and friendship of students from different countries around the world and promote the Olympic Ideal.
A celebration of children's sports, the Games, calls youth from all over the world to meet each other and become friends in the context of a sports event held exclusively for them. Kelowna hosted international youth, age 12 to 15, for a week of fun-filled games, sporting events, festivals, and more. The event puts emphasis on sporting ideals, respect, and understanding different cultures and ways of thinking.
The aim of the Games is not to win but to create strong bonds of friendship and solidarity between young athletes from all over the world. Kelowna introduced two new sports to 5th Winter Games, hockey and short track speed skating.
The Games legacy lives on as Kelowna prepares to send teams to future games.
The 45th International Children's Games was a great success. North and South Lanarkshire Councils are very proud to have brought the world's biggest youth sporting event to Scotland for the first time. A total of 1,300 competitors and coaches, along with administrators and delegates representing 77 cities from 33 countries worldwide had a great time competing and making lots of new friends during their stay in Lanarkshire for the International Olympic Committee-recognised event which ran from 3 to 8 August 2011.
The Kelowna 2011 Organizing Committee would like to sincerely thank all Central Okanagan residents who have volunteered their time and opened their doors to help us stage the 5th International Children’s Winter Games. We have over 800 Games Volunteers and 100+ Host Families who will play an integral part in making Kelowna 2011 a wonderful and memorable Games for all participants
Medal Count
Top 10 Medal Winners
| City | Total | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seoul, Korea | 6 | 5 | 0 | 11 |
| Gorje, Slovenia | 6 | 4 | 0 | 10 |
| Kelowna, Canada | 2 | 3 | 5 | 10 |
| Innsbruck, Austria | 2 | 4 | 0 | 6 |
| Vevey, Switzerland | 2 | 0 | 3 | 5 |
| West Kelowna, Canada | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| Montreux, Switzerland | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| Coquitlam, Canada | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Maribor, Slovenia | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Kamloops, Canada | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
