In addition to getting immersive views of the Olympic torch lighting and the Parade of Nations, fans can also experience the thrill of VR at three different Samsung Galaxy Studios at the event. Included are the VR Station, a theater-like venue where participants can virtually take part in winter sports in 4D, as well as the VR Bus. Here, attendees partake in an exhilarating, 360-degree ski jump simulation that takes them through the stunning scenery of Lillehammer, Norway.

On February 11, 2016, International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach, along with members of the IOC Young Ambassadors program visited the Samsung Galaxy Studio just ahead of the start of the Lillehammer 2016 Winter Youth Olympic Games.

“Samsung is a dedicated Partner to the Olympic Movement and supports the IOC in engaging young people worldwide through its cutting edge mobile technology and passion for sports,” Bach said. “It is a pleasure to visit the Samsung Galaxy Studio here in Lillehammer and experience first-hand the virtual reality technology, which could be used at future Olympic Games as well.”

International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach sits in a 4D motion chair to experience the innovative ski jumping VR film at the Samsung Galaxy Studio in Lillehammer.

The immersive ski jumping film is displayed through the Samsung Galaxy smartphone and compatible Gear VR headset.

International Olympic Committee (IOC) Administration is all smiles as they gear up for the start of the 2016 Winter Youth Olympic Games at the Samsung Galaxy Studio in Lillehammer.

International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach visits the Samsung Galaxy Studio in Lillehammer ahead of the start of the 2016 Winter Youth Olympic Games.

Members of the IOC Young Ambassadors program mingle and take selfies before the start of the Games. Samsung provided a Galaxy S6 edge+ to each member of the program to enable them to share stories, interact and promote the Games in their own countries.

International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach meets with the 39 members of the IOC Young Ambassadors program before the start of the Lillehammer 2016 Winter Youth Olympic Games.

Members of the IOC Young Ambassadors program join together at the Samsung Galaxy Studio in Lillehammer before the start of the 2016 Winter Youth Olympic Games.

Two IOC Young Ambassadors pose for a photo together at the Samsung Galaxy Studio in Lillehammer before the start of the 2016 Winter Youth Olympic Games.

Members of the IOC Young Ambassadors program experience ski jumping in 4D.

Two IOC Young Ambassadors visit the Samsung Galaxy Studio in Lillehammer to test out the Galaxy S6 edge+, which they’ll use throughout the 2016 Winter Youth Olympic Games to document and share their experiences with the world.

In an Olympic first, Samsung Electronics is supporting the International Olympic Committee to bring the Games to life through virtual reality coverage so that just about any Galaxy smartphone and Gear VR user can experience the excitement of the event, no matter where they are in the world.

The experience begins at 19:00PM CET February 12 with the Opening Ceremony—the first ever streamed live in virtual reality. Also, throughout the duration of the Games, daily VR sports highlights will provide a Winter YOG experience unlike any before.

To enjoy immersive views of the Olympic torch lighting and the Parade of Nations, among other event highlights, one needs a Samsung mobile phone (Galaxy S6 and later) and compatible Gear VR headset. From the smartphone, viewers can visit olympic.org to access a direct link to the Youth Olympic Games VR experience. Samsung mobile users will also be able to access all the Lillehammer 2016 content by downloading the NextVR app from the Oculus store.

Installation Instructions

1. Make sure you have a Samsung Galaxy smartphone and compatible Samsung Gear VR headset.

2. On your Galaxy phone, open the Oculus Gear VR app and search for “Next VR”.

3. When you’ve found the NextVR app, click “Install”. When it’s finished installing, click “Start”.

“Sometimes I wonder what I’m doing, getting up early, training for hours in the rain, storms, cold and wind,” said Vebjørn Hegdal, a cross-country skier about to participate in the Lillehammer 2016 Winter Youth Olympic Games. “But if you really want something and like something, go for it. Don’t listen to people who say it’s hard and almost impossible. It’s your choice and your decision.”

As a sponsor of this year’s Winter Youth Olympic Games, which are being held from February 12 to 21 in Lillehammer Norway, Samsung Electronics is passionate about the spirit and power of young people. That energy and youthful defiance against the odds is the focus of Samsung’s “The Only Way to Know” video, which looks at many young athletes as they prepare for the Youth Olympics.

Vebjørn Hegdal, Cross-Country Skier

The video also shows how Samsung mobile devices are an integral part of their lives, whether it is for taking selfies, posting training videos, posting supportive messages and “likes”, sharing photos and more. Samsung is proud to support those young athletes and be a part of their stories, reinforcing the message through the social media campaign #TheOnlyWayToKnow.

In the video, these young competitors struggle to become the best athletes then can be, even while wrestling with self-doubt and the unknown. In addition to Vebjørn, there’s Astrid, a young ski jumper, Ian Rocca, an alpine skier, Daniel Grassi, a figure skater, and many more.

Daniel Grassi, Figure Skater

As viewers listen to their thoughts, the touching video provides glimpses of their struggles, both as athletes and as young people. The questions that haunt them through their endless hours of training are the same doubts that follow young people everywhere. The video shows them preparing, practicing, falling down and wiping out—even breaking bones.

But the athletes never stay down. They all get back up again and keep training. Then, reinvigorated, their determined voices are an impressive example for young people everywhere:

“Maybe I’m already enough.”

“Maybe this will be what pushes me.”

“Maybe I’ll be a leader. The greatest. The best.”

“Maybe this is not the end.”

“Maybe this is just the beginning.”

The transformative power of sports to overcome the fears and uncertainty of youth is inspirational, an uplifting feeling that Samsung conveys in this video. “If I had doubts, I wouldn’t be able to achieve anything,” said Ian Rocaa the alpine skier from Italy. “I’ve always believed in my abilities. I’m no doubter.”

Ian Rocca, an Alpine Skier

For Astrid Moberg, a young ski jumper from Sweden, there is an additional motivation: ski jumping was only added as an Olympic event for women in 2014, and many people still don’t know about it.

“This video gave me the chance to promote ski jumping,” said Astrid. “I want to show what promising ski jumpers we have from my part of Sweden. People don’t understand what a fantastic sport this is.”

Astrid Moberg, Ski Jumper

The Youth Olympic Games started in Singapore in 2010, as a way of encouraging young athletes aged 15 to 18 from around the world not only to get involved, but also to integrate a healthy cultural and developmental program in their lives.

Samsung Electronics, Worldwide Olympic Partner in the Wireless Communications Equipment category, announced a new Olympic initiative seeking to unite the world through inspiration and the power of connection during the Lillehammer 2016 Youth Olympic Games. As a global leader in mobile technologies, Samsung is committed to enhancing the Olympic Movement through innovative products and providing athletes and fans around the globe with memorable one-of-a-kind experiences.

With a series of event activations and unique programming, the Samsung Galaxy Studios will make the Lillehammer 2016 Youth Olympic Games inspiring and unforgettable for fans throughout the city and Olympic venues. Leading up to the Youth Olympic Games, Samsung will spread the spirit of the Games to young fans around the world through marketing campaign, “The Only Way to Know.” The campaign will be brought to life through an integrated, cross-platform marketing approach including a wide variety of on-site activations as well as digital and traditional assets.

“We understand that challenges facing today’s youth can be daunting, and we are committed to providing opportunities and programs designed to inspire them along the way to never lose sight of their hopes and dreams,” said Younghee Lee, Executive Vice President of Global Marketing, Mobile Communications Business at Samsung Electronics. “Samsung is proud to spread the Youth Olympic Games spirit both in Lillehammer and around the globe and create new experiences designed to reach youths through our state-of-the-art technology and riveting VR content.”

For the Lillehammer Youth Olympic Games, Samsung and the International Olympic Committee will partner to deliver the first ever Olympic content in Virtual Reality. The action will also be real for fans watching remotely, with Samsung offering the opportunity to tune into the VR Live Streaming of the Opening Ceremony via Samsung mobile device, feeling the energy of the crowd as the athletes enter the stadium.

“Samsung is a longstanding Worldwide Olympic Partner that is dedicated to empowering fans, both during the Olympic Games and Youth Olympic Games, through innovative technologies and breakthrough experiences,” said Timo Lumme, IOC TMS Managing Director. “We are honored to partner with them on this first-of-its-kind VR live streaming offering, just one of the ways that we can ensure boundaries of what are possible for both youths on the ground and those watching remote are constantly being pushed.”

Samsung will further maximize the excitement of the Lillehammer 2016 Youth Olympic Games by utilizing its latest technology with highly-engaging experiences, including:

Feeling the Passion of the Sports: The Gear VR Experience

To celebrate the opening night of the 2016 Youth Olympic Games on February 12, the Samsung Galaxy Studio in Lillehammer and other select locations will provide unparalleled experiences through VR Live Streaming and allow users to feel fully immersed in the Opening Ceremony. By simply pairing the Galaxy smartphones with Samsung Gear VR, the first-ever live streaming will showcase immersive angles of the Olympic torch lighting, Parade of Nations, and other Ceremony events. In addition, daily VR highlights will feature a variety of winter sports, including speed skating, snowboarding, figure skating, ski jumping, and more, and these contents will be available for public following the event.

From February 11-21, three Samsung Galaxy Studios – the VR Bus, VR Monument and the VR Station – will be set up in various locations around Lillehammer to provide a variety of immersive, never-before-felt experiences for youths, spectators and athletes. Visitors will have exposure to Samsung mobile products including the Samsung Galaxy S6 edge+, Galaxy S6 edge, and Galaxy S6 and be given the opportunity to try a winter sport through immersive VR experiences with Gear VR. A unique 4D VR offering will be available at the VR Station, where studio visitors can sit in theatre-like chairs and feel the exhilaration of ski jumping, stepping outside of comfort zones to experience something they never would’ve dreamed possible.

Capturing the Dreams of Young Athletes with Technology

Youth Olympic Games hopefuls, including Norwegian Vebjørn Hegdal, will be featured in the TV/ digital commercial “The Only Way to Know,” dedicated to telling the story of youths who battle through constraints both in life and in sport. Through Samsung Galaxy, youths are encouraged to forge their own path and share their journey on social media with the campaign #THEONLYWAYTOKNOW.

Additional digital and social content will be provided throughout the Lillehammer Games by 47 IOC Young Ambassadors representing 39 different countries around the world. The Young Ambassadors program, which is entering its fourth Youth Olympic Games cycle, encourages youths to be curious and stay active through sports. As part of the program, the youth ambassadors are featured interacting with Samsung Galaxy S6 edge+ to share self-expression and stay connected throughout their stories of inspiring bravery in sports and in life.

Lillehammer 2016 Winter Youth Olympic Games will be held February12-21, 2016 in Lillehammer, Norway.

About Samsung’s Involvement in the Olympic Games

Samsung began its Olympic Games involvement as a local sponsor of the Seoul 1988 Olympic Games. Beginning with the Nagano 1998 Olympic Winter Games, the company extended its commitment to the Olympic Movement as the Worldwide Olympic Partner in the Wireless Communications Equipment category, providing its proprietary wireless communications platform, called Wireless Olympic Works (WOW), and mobile devices. These innovative mobile phone technologies provide the Olympic Family with real-time, user location-based information service, interactive communications, and mobile payment on-site. Samsung hosts various Olympic campaigns to share the excitement of the Olympic Games with people around the world and enable everyone to participate in the Games through its innovative mobile technology. Samsung’s commitment as a Worldwide Olympic Partner continues through to Rio 2016, PyeongChang 2018, and Tokyo 2020.