The eighth edition of The World Games takes place from 16 to 26 July in Kaohsiung City, TPE. Exactly one month prior to the Opening Ceremony, five athletes qualified to compete in 2009 Kaohsiung have traveled to the Olympic capital Lausanne, SUI, to launch the final countdown to the Games by showcasing their sports at The Olympic Museum. And to inaugurate the temporary exhibition “Top Sports – High Spirits.”

The World Games provide the world’s best athletes in 30+ different sports with the opportunity to compete at the highest level. From acrobatic gymnastics to water ski, the program of the Games is made up of sports, or disciplines of sports, which have one thing in common: they are not currently featured in the Olympics.

Since their inception in 1981, The World Games have been held at intervals of four years. The eighth edition will be staged in Kaohsiung, Taiwan’s second largest metropolis behind the capital Taipei, over eleven days this July. To be a perfect host to the 5,000 athletes and officials in 37 sports, the port city has reinvented and transformed itself. While still being the country’s foremost industrial and transportation hub, it has gained another reputation in recent years. As a safe, healthy and ecological city by the sea! On 16 July 2009, the World Games Opening Ceremony will be held at the brand new “Dragon” stadium, an innovative 55,000-capacity venue with a solar-paneled roof generating all the electricity required for its operation.

Exactly one month prior this ceremony, five athletes who will compete in 2009 Kaohsiung have traveled to Lausanne, SUI. There, the world #1s in Freeflying (Air Sports) and Rock ‘n’ Roll (DanceSport) have launched the final countdown to the games by demonstrating their high-flying disciplines at The Olympic Museum.

Fred Fugen, Vincent Reffet and Cathy Bouette (FRA) – the current World Freeflying Champions – as well as Maurizio and Jade Mandorino (SUI) – 2007 World Champions in Acrobatic Rock ‘n’ Roll – dazzled everyone with the unique sporting action performed in the museum which enshrines the Olympic Movement in its fullest breadth.

 

The spectacular demonstrations were the highlight of the official inauguration for the exhibition “Top Sports – High Spirits.” The International World Games Association (IWGA) and the Kaohsiung Organizing Committee (KOC) have been invited by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to present The World Games 2009 over the next five weeks in Lausanne. Interactive information terminals and life-sized photography familiarize the museum visitors with the sports as well as the spirit of games which unite athletes in the pursuit of excellence and a celebration of friendship.

 

IWGA President Ron Froehlich and KOC Managing Director Shyh-fang Liu presided over the inauguration. They both thanked the IOC for its long-standing support to The World Games and expressed total confidence that the eighth edition will live up to the highest expectations in one month’s time.