By Gary Anderson

September 2 - 100 days to go until Trentino 2013 gets underwayToday marks 100 days until the International University Sports Federation (FISU) Trentino 2013 Winter Universiade is due to get under way in the northern Italian province.

Around 3,000 athletes will descend on the picturesque region of Italy, which is dominated by the Dolomites mountain range, for the 26th Winter Universiade where a total of 13 sports will be contested across seven venues from December 11 to 21.

Originally awarded to Maribor in Slovenia, Trentino stepped in, in March 2012, to take over the hosting rights for the event following the Slovenian Government's withdrawal of funding and the resignation of the Maribor Organising Committee.

Trentino follows neighbours Turin, who as well as hosting the 2006 Winter Olympics and Paralympics, staged the Winter Universiade in 2007.

This will be the sixth time that Italy has hosted the Games, following on from Sestriere 1966, Livigno 1975, Belluno 1985 and Tarvisio 2003.

Preparations for the Games have been ongoing, with Trentino 2013 announcing a number of initiatives designed to make the Games a memorable occasion.

Earlier this year, organisers launched a campaign to recruit 1,500 Games volunteers and received nearly 2,000 applications from locals, people from across Italy and from outside the country.

The volunteers will be responsible for providing support to athletes and international delegations across communication and marketing, safety and access control, catering, accreditation control, IT support, hospitality and welcome services and press duties.

The Dolomites will provide a spectacular backdrop to the 2013 Winter Universiade in TrentinoThe Dolomites will provide a spectacular backdrop to the 2013 Winter Universiade in Trentino
























Fans and members of the public have also been encouraged to become a "shareholder" in the Games through the Trentino 2013 Crowdfunding campaign, which allows people to make an online financial contribution through the event's official website, which organisers say will support and enhance selected scientific projects by Trentino 2013 that focus on innovation and research in the local area and also fund entertainment initiatives dedicated to students taking part.

Applications are still being taken from musicians and singers currently attending university in any of the more than 160 countries affiliated to FISU for the "Official Song" of Trentino 2013, which will see the winning composition performed at the Opening Ceremony on December 11.

Last week the Organising Committee announced that they aimed to make Trentino 2013, "the first environmentally friendly Universiade ever" by implementing a series of guidelines and good practices to reduce the carbon (CO2) output - expected to be around 20,000 tons - by working with local people and businesses as well as the Trentino municipal authorities on a number of initiatives.

These range from cutting down on the amount of time Trentino citizens keep their Christmas tree lights on to an agreement with Italy's Programme for Endorsement of Forest Certification schemes (PEFC Italia), which will see the use of wood from sustainable and legal forests, in the construction of facilities and structures that are related to the Universiade.

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