Turkic Ski Cup

The Turkic Ski Cup is a winter sports tournament organized under the umbrella of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS), aiming to enhance cooperation between ski resorts in the Turkic world. The first edition of the tournament was held on February 18, 2025, at the Amirsoy Ski Resort in Uzbekistan.

The Turkic Ski Cup, February 20, 2025 - Anadolu Agency

History and Organization

The idea of organizing the Turkic Ski Cup emerged during the Turkic Ski Resort Presidents' Meeting held in Istanbul in September 2024. At this meeting, the Union of Turkic Ski Resorts was established with the aim of promoting ski tourism, increasing expertise sharing, and organizing joint events. The parties signed a Memorandum of Understanding, and the initiative was officially endorsed by heads of state during the 11th Summit of the Organization of Turkic States, held in Bishkek in November 2024.

The Turkic Ski Cup is organized by the Union of Turkic Ski Resorts, whose founding members are Amirsoy (Uzbekistan), Shahdag (Azerbaijan), Shymbulak (Kazakhstan), and Uludağ (Türkiye) ski resorts. The tournament is designed to promote winter sports in the Turkic world and strengthen cooperation between ski resorts.

The First Turkic Ski Cup (2025)

The first Turkic Ski Cup took place on February 18, 2025, at Amirsoy Ski Resort in Uzbekistan. The opening ceremony was attended by OTS Secretary General Ambassador Kubanychbek Omuraliev, OTS Deputy Secretary General Mirvohid Azimov, Uzbekistan’s Ministerial Advisor for Ecology, Environmental Protection, and Climate Change Alisher Salomov, General Secretary of the Union of Turkic Ski Resorts Orhan Badalov, and representatives of ski resorts from member countries.

More than 50 athletes from Türkiye, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan participated in the tournament. The competitions were held in different categories, and the top-ranking athletes were awarded. Among them, Azerbaijani athlete Jeyhun Balametov won the gold medal, while Famil Valimotov secured the bronze.

Union of Turkic Ski Resorts Meeting

Following the tournament, on February 19, 2025, a meeting of the Union of Turkic Ski Resorts was held at Amirsoy Ski Resort. The meeting was attended by the founding members of the Union as well as representatives from the OTS Secretariat.

Discussions focused on developing regional winter tourism, strengthening cooperation between ski resorts, and enhancing visitor experiences. Additionally, the introduction of a "Common Turkic Ski Pass", valid across all member ski resorts, was proposed.

Meeting of the Union of Turkic Ski Resorts, 19 February 2025 - Organization of Turkic States

Future Plans

Following the success of the first Turkic Ski Cup, plans have been made to establish it as an annual event, with each edition being hosted by a different Turkic ski resort. Moreover, joint projects and promotional activities among member ski resorts will be undertaken to contribute to the growth of winter tourism in the region.