About EPYG

European Para Youth Games

the European Para Youth Games is an international, competitive, multi-sport competition for athletes with a disability that reflects the highest standards of athletic excellence, Paralympic values and diversity. The goal of the Youth Regional Programme is to provide exciting and inspiring events, as well as to help develop the Paralympic Movement and encourage younger athletes to do Paralympic Sport to achieve competitive excellence while engaging an entertaining spectators.

The Games are seen by many as one of the first steps for new athletes on their journey to a professional sporting career, and it’s no surprise that a significant number of athletes taking part in EYPGs have gone on to represent their country at other international events.

This combination of relatively new para-athletes, with established rising stars in the Paralympic Movement, sets the EYPGs out as an exciting competition for competitors and spectators alike.

 

sport image

History of EPYG

The first and second editions of the EYPG were hosted in Brno, Czech Republic in 2011 and 2012, with the Czech team topping the medal table on both occasions.

Varazdin, Croatia hosted the third edition of the Games in 2015, with 223 athletes from 22 countries taking part in the event across four sports. Spain topped the medal table with a total of 61 medals across the competition.

The fourth edition of the games were hosted in Liguria, Italy in 2017, with over 500 athletes from 26 countries taking part in eight sports. Germany finished at the top of the medal table, with 37 Golds, 27 Silvers and 12 Bronze medals.

The fifth edition of the games were hosted in Pajulahti, Finland in 2019 with about 350 athletes taking part. Now the Games will return to Finland as the sixth edition of the games are due to be hosted again in Pajulahti, Finland from the 27th June -4th July 2022 (*postponed from 2021 because of Covid-19). This time athletes are competing in 8 sports.

sport image

Pajulahti

Pajulahti, an outstanding sports and leisure Oasis is the only Olympic and  Paralympic Training Center in Finland. Area is located in eastern Lahti, on the clean lake Iso-Kukkanen, just over an hour’s drive from Lahti city center.

Pajulahti was established in 1929 as the first training center for summer training. Our sports Venues, accommodation buildings, well-maintained trails and campfire places as well as beautiful Rivers are spread out over Pajulahti’s 110 Acres.

We offer high-standard education, coaching and training services,  as well as in the field of sport and leisure. Picturesque nature, Cozy atmosphere and constantly developing services make enjoyable in all seasons.

The versatility of Pajulahti’s sports facilities invites goal-oriented Athletes as well as  enthusiasts of recreational sports, of individual and team sports. Among our supply of sports Venues are Pajulahti Hall, ball arenas, ice arena, swimming hall, combat sports arena, gymnastics, fitness rooms, full-size football fields and outdoor running track. Our coaches and sports instructors are here at your service with guidance and advice.

Pajulahti is also the only official Paralympic Training Center, and we take pride in our professional expertise in adaptive sports.

We are here to keep you moving! Welcome visiting our website: www.pajulahti.com

landscape image

Finland Facts

Finland is one of safest countries in the world. In our beautiful and clean nature you can enjoy thousands of activities. There are many reasons to fall in love with Finland and the Finns. As it would be impossible to list them all we have collected interesting facts about our unique home country.

  • Independence: declared on December 6, 1917. Previously a grand duchy in the Russian empire for 108 years, and a part of Sweden for 600 years before that
  • Greatest length from north to south: 1,157 km (717 miles) and greatest width from east to west: 542 km (336 miles)
  • Member of United Nations since 1955 and European Union since 1995
  • Currency Euro. In Pajulahti we accept Visa, Visa Electron, V pay, Eurocard, Mastercard, Maestro and Amex
  • High standard of education, social security and healthcare, all fnanced by the state
  • Passports issued by Finland, UK and Sweden ofer visa-free travel to more countries than any other passports
  • Swedish is also an official language
  • Arctic weather with 4 seasons: from fairly warm summer, fresh and rainy autumn, snowy winter and lively spring (2014 extremes: coldest day in Utsjoki -40.7 C/- 40.7 F, warmest day in Pori 32.8 C/91 F)
  • There are 187,888 lakes within the territory of Finland – the most of any country in the world.
  • Finland is also called as the land of midnight sun, because in June and July the sun shines all day and all night in the north, not dropping below the horizon.
  • Like many Nordic countries, Finland has some of the world’s best “Freedom to Roam” opportunities: Everyman´s right. This means that you can pitch a tent, pick wild berries or fsh in the lakes for free
  • Supermarkets open daily. Anyone permanently resident outside the EU and Norway can shop tax free.
  • In 2010, Finland became the frst country in the world to make Internet access a legal right and there is Free WLAN in almost every city
  • There are no public payphones in Finland. There are over 5 million mobile phones for a population of 5.4 million
  • We have World’s best drinkable tab water
  • 9 out of 10 plastic bottles and almost 100% of glass bottles are recycled
  • The one and Only Santa Claus from Korvatunturi, based in Rovaniemi
  • Moomins, Angry Birds and Clash of Clans come from Finland
  • Finnish-born inventions include the rescue toboggan, the heart-rate monitor, salty liquorice (‘Salmiakki’), the Linux OS, ice skates, the SMS and, of course, the sauna, which also happens to be the most used Finnish word outside of the mother country
  • We Finns love coffee more than anyone else. The average Finn consumes 12 kg of the brown stuff every year.