While competitions of the 9th Winter EYOF are running in Slask Beskidy, EOC President Patrick Hickey, accompanied by Polish NOC President Piotr Nurowski and EYOF Commission Chairman Guido De Bondt, took the opportunity of his trip to Poland to visit the 5 venues of the various sports on the programme.

They first went to Szczyrk, the county town of the Festival where most participants are accommodated and which is the arena for ski jumping, nordic combined, alpine skiing, cross country skiing and snowboard. Then to Cieszyn, the border town between Poland and the Zcech Republic which hosts artistic skiing; to Bielsko-Biala, the arena for curling; to Tychy, where hockey competitions are being staged in the main stadium and finally to Wisla, the pearl of Beskidies, where the final ceremony will take place.

In each city, the delegation was received at the Town Hall by the City Mayor, then toured the venues where thousands of young European athletes are the stars of the 2009 EYOF.
It was an excellent occasion to feel the festive atmosphere of the snowy mountains and valleys of Silesia filled with enthusiastic youngsters from all Europe.

Liberec, the Czech city which will host the 10th EYOF winter edition in 2011 organised in Szczyrk on the 17th of February, a reception for the EOC President and the Polish delegation. The Liberec delegation is currently attending the EYOF in Slask-Beskidy to take advantage of the Polish experience.
on February 20th, on the occasion of the Closing Ceremony, the EOC flag will be handed to Liberec.