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BOA offers news updates from Winter Festival

The progress of the Great Britain team at this week’s European Youth Olympic Winter Festival, being staged in Poland, is being monitored and reported by the British Olympic Association, with daily updates on the team’s progress posted here.

The Festival has so far failed to produce any British medal-winners, though both the girls’ and boys’ curling teams – with Olympic gold medal-winning skip Rhona Martin among the management – are guaranteed of reaching a podium spot before the closing ceremony tomorrow.

The Festival is one of seven International Olympic Committee-sanctioned events. The 2009 edition is being hosted by five towns in southern Poland: Bielsko-Biala, Cieszyn, Tychy, Szczyrk and Wisla, involving more than 1,000 competitors aged from under-15 to 20 years old, from 45 nations.

The Festival provides young athletes with a unique Olympic experience and Great Britain has been represented at every edition since it began. The BOA recognises the importance of participating in multi-sport events such as this, focusing on the preparation and development of our talented young athletes into Team GB Olympic winter champions of the future.

After yesterday’s competition, Team GB’s women curlers remained undefeated and guaranteed themselves at least a bronze medal after defeating hosts Poland 5-1. Not to be out done, the men’s team also convincingly defeated the hosts 12-1 and later in the day beat Denmark 6-4 to guarantee that they too would be heading home with a medal.

Tough conditions on the cross-country course challenged Team GB’s skiers. Callum Smith (Inverurie) finished 53rd in the men’s 10km freestyle with teammate William Newman (Huntly) 66th and in the women’s 7.5km freestyle race Deborah May (Huntly) finished 56th and Lauren Spencer (Gloucester) 60th.

Team GB news and results will be posted on www.olympics.org.uk/eyowf09

For further information and photo requests please contact Becki Middleton on 00 44 7918 768 816 or rebecca.middleton@boa.org.uk

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