First World Scout Winter Games
Posted in Patch Collecting by John E. Pannell on April 9th, 2009 at 6:40 am 
Witauchsoman 44 S42?
Recently an image of an unlisted flap from Witauchsoman 44 was forwarded to me that piqued my curiosity. Thanks to Kris Silfies it’s pictured to the left. Just what exactly was the “First World Scout Winter Games”?
According to an article published on the World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM) website the World Scout Winter Games was held during the Winter of 2008 at the Kandersteg International Scout Centre, Switzerland. It was a three day event, 28 February – 3 March 2008, designed to bring together Scouts from various countries to compete in Winter athletic events. There is also a very brief article on Wikiepedia for this event.
According to the WOSM, this first games had nine teams competing from eight different countries:
- Liechtenstein – Pfadfinder und Pfadfinderinnen Liechtensteins
- Norway – The Norwegian Guide & Scout Association
- Portugal – Corpo Nacional des Escutas (CNE)
- Spain – Minyons Escoltes i Guies de Catalunya
- Sweden – The Swedish Guide & Scout Council
- Switzerland – Pfadibewegung Schweiz
- United Kingdom – The Scout Association
- United States – Boy Scouts of America – 2 teams
No information about results is posted other than to say that the team from Sweden was the overall winner.
The North Yorkshire Scout Network posted further information about this event. Each team of six Scouts competed in the following events: Slalom Skiing, Giant Slalom, Synchronize Skiing, Curling, Cross Country Skiing, Triathlon based on different snow sports. Scouts could use either skis or snowboards in the slalom events.
I was unable to find any websites or news articles covering the Americans who went to this event. That’s a shame as this would have been a most unusual event for a council to publicize. Presumably the US team consisted of at least one brother from Witauchsoman lodge and the Minsi Trails Council. As far as I know this was the only OA item issued for this event.
The World Scout Winter Games will next be held in 2010 at Kandersteg.
Popularity: 10% [?]
My son, Wyatt Shults, attended the Winter Games.
Wyatt Shults
Troop 40, sponsored by VFW Post 2657, Fulton, MO
Great Rivers Council, Columbia, MO