This year, Gangwon-do will successfully host four international championships- Snowboard World Championship, Biathlon World Championship, Women''s Curling World Championship, the Dream Program- to acquire a foundation for hosting the 2018 Winter Olympics exping its image as an international-level mecca of winter sports. 

- 2009 FIS Snowboard World Championship
 As the central location for winter sports, Gangwon-do will host the 2009 FIS Snowboard World Championship at the Hyundai Woosung Resort in Hoengsung-gun Dunnae-myeon, from January 14 to 24 of this year (11 days duration). 1200 athletes from 50 countries will compete in the championship.

To successfully host the championship, Gangwon-do has created an organizational committee to build a snow boarding field to offer administrative support. With ten days left to the big event, the committee is devoting its efforts to final preparations checkups.  

Up to this point, 650 athletes from 50 countries, including U.S, France, Japan, Russia, Iran, South Africa, Australia, has signed up for the international snowboard championship, making it the largest one ever. Countries that have not participated in the 2007 championship, such as Andorra, Bahamas, Iran, have also applied for participation, making this year''s championship a place where the world''s five oceans five continents truly come together to form a peaceful global community.

- 2009 IBU Pyeongchang Biathlon World Championship
The biathlon world championship, which was first held in 1958 since then had always been regarded as a sport exclusively for European countries, will be held for the first time in Asia in Pyeongchang, Gangwon-do. The 2009 IBU Pyeongchang Biathlon World Championship will begin with singer performances an opening ceremony on February 13(Friday), at the Yongpyeong Resort''s special outdoor stage at 19:30. Until the 22th (Sunday), 1500 athletes, officers, staff from 40 countries, including countries strong at biathlon such as Russia, Norway, Sweden, developing countries such as Mongol Kazakhstan, will compete in the championship. The championship will be held in the Alpensia sports arena in Pyeongchang, Gangwon-do, contests of 11 sport categories (men''s/female''s s, chase, individual/group start, relay/mixed relay) will be held.   

What makes this year''s championship special is that 592 athletes from 42 countries will participate, making it larger than the biathlon games of the Olympics. This year''s championship will be much larger more splendid than the 2008 Sweden Oestersund Biathlon World Championship, in which 551 athletes from 38 countries participated. 

- 2009 Gangneung Women''s World Curling Championship
From March 21st to March 29th, the 2009 Gangneung Women''s World Curling Championship will be held in Gangneung''s international ice rink. As it is the first time for this sport to be hosted in Korea, Gangneung is using its experience of hosting the Asia Pacific Curling Championship in 2004 to make every part perfect, from running the games to facilities equipment. By successfully hosting the championship, Gangneung is looking forward to enhance Gangwon-do''s image as the mecca of winter sports.  

The 12 finalist countries that will compete in the games include: Canada (the winner of last year''s championship), China, (the number one player in the Asian preliminary matches), as well as countries that passed continental preliminary matches, such as Denmark, Germany, Italy, Norway, Russia, Scotl, Sweden, Switzerl, the United States.

- Dream Program
Gangwon-do proposed the Dream Program to IOC when it was vying to host the 2010 winter olympics in Pyeongchang. The Dream Program seeks to develop winter sports in countries where winter sports could not develop due to climate other environmental situations. From 2004 to 2008, 578 athletes from 39 countries participated to experience winter sports. The program is widely applauded by the IOC, FIS, ISU, overseas media, NOCs of each country. 

From February 17~26th (10 days duration), in Bogwang Phoenix Park Gangneung Ice Rink 120 teenagers from a total of 30 countries, which are:
▶ 11 Asian countries including India Singapore,
▶ 7 European countries including Greece Macedonia,
▶ 5 Central American/South American countries including Guatemala Mexico,
▶ 7 African countries including Senegal Algeria,
will experience learn many skiing-related activities (alpine skiing, snow boarding) also snow ice-related activities (speed skating, figure skating, short track, curling, ice hockey).
 
- Establishment of a winter sports arena that meets international stards
To host the winter olympics other international championships, Gangwon-do has built a biathlon field cross country field that meets international stards. A ski jump field will be completed in May of this year.

The biathlon field was completed in December of 2007, in February of 2008 it earned the IBU international authorization certificate. The cross country field was completed in December of 2008 soon after earned the FIS international authorization certificate. The ski jump field will be completed in May of this year. After the ski jump field earns an international authorization certificate, it will be used for the 2009 Ski Jump Gr Prix Championship in September.

By hosting large-scale international winter sports championships building international-level sports fields, Gangwon-do will publicize its adeptness in hosting winter sports to the international sports world take a step forward in hosting the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang.