The 2019 Aurora Games was a female international multi-sport event that was held between 20 and 25 August 2019 in Albany, New York, United States of America. Planned to be a biennial event, the Times Union Center served as host venue. Albany was also due to serve as host city for the 2021 and 2023 Aurora Games.
The Aurora Games, designed as a multisport women's version of the Laver Cup, has in addition featured musical performances, food tastings, sports clinics, autograph sessions and the “Conversations with Champions” series of seminars. The keynote speaker for the Aurora Games was Judge Rosemarie Aquilina, who presided over the case of the disgraced USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar.
The Games
Sports The 2019 Aurora Games programme featured seven sports. Team and individual competitions consisted of athletes from 15 countries participating as part of All-star teams known as Team Americas and Team World. Said teams were led by honorary captains Jackie Joyner-Kersee and Nadia Comăneci with the teams competing for the Babe Didrikson Zaharias Trophy. Team Americas captured the first Trophy, defeating Team World in six of the seven events.
Results Event Winning team Results Attendance NotesBasketball Team World 85-772,517 15 assists by Laia PalauBeach Volleyball Team Americas 3 matches won1 match lost 3,291 Gold medal game won by April Ross and Alix KlinemanFigure Skating Team Americas 192.5 (Americas)182.5 (World)3,634 Team Americas prevailed in the short program with a score of 79.0In the long program, Team Americas won with a score of 113.5Alysa Liu became the first American woman to land a quadruple lutz in competitionGymnastics Team Americas 158.54,210Balance Beam, Artistic Floor and Aesthetic Gymnastics won by Team AmericasPower Tumbling won by Team WorldParkour had a tie score of 34Ice Hockey Team Americas 3-12,851 Team World Goal by Annina RajahuhtaTeam Americas Goals by Hannah Brandt, Kali Flanigan and Taylor MarchinTable Tennis Team Americas 5 Matches won0 matches lost Tennis Team Americas 3 matches won, 2 matches lost3,920Bianca Andreescu defeated Victoria Azarenka in a 6-2 final to win the fifth and deciding game
Rosters Team AmericasTeam World (host)
Team Americas THIS IS AN INCOMPLETE LIST Honorary captain: Jackie Joyner-Kersee Name Sport Position Height Nationality Notes Tennis N/A 2019 US Open champion Basketball Competed in the WNBA with the San Antonio Silver Stars Basketball Selected by the Minnesota Lynx in the WNBA Draft Ice hockey Forward Gold medalist in women's ice hockey at 2018 Winter Games Gymnastics N/A Specialist in Power Tumbling Gymnastics N/A 2019 NCAA floor exercise co-champion Ice hockey Goaltender NCAA all-time wins leader (121)First pick overall of 2017 NWHL Draft Basketball Plays professionally for the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury Ice Hockey Goaltender Played professionally in CWHL for Boston Blades Ice hockey Forward Isobel Cup champion Ice Hockey Forward Silver medalist in women's ice hockey at 2010 Winter Games Ice hockey Forward Gold medalist in women's ice hockey at 2018 Winter Games Ice hockey Forward 2019 Clarkson Cup champion Ice hockey Forward Plays professionally for the Buffalo Beauts Ice hockey Forward Gold medalist in women's ice hockey at 2018 Winter Games Ice hockey Forward Played professionally in CWHL for Vanke Rays
Team World THIS IS AN INCOMPLETE LIST Honorary captain: Nadia Comăneci Name Sport Position Weight Nationality Notes Tennis N/A Gold medalist at 2012 Summer Games Tennis N/A Runner-up in mixed doubles at 2015 US Open Gymnastics N/A Gold medalist in Balance Beam at 2016 NCAA Women's Gymnastics Championship Tennis N/A Number 1 ranking in WTA during September 2017 Figure Skating Ladies Russia 4th place at 2019 European Figure Skating Championships
Athlete Advisory Committee The Athlete Advisory Committee is chaired by Donna de Varona. Name Title Nationality Notes Tenley Albright Advisory Board Member Medalist, 1952 and 1956 Winter Games Doug Beal Advisory Board Member Former CEO, USA Volleyball Jane Blalock Advisory Board Member Former LPGA golfer, Legends Hall of Fame, Founder and CEO of Legends Tour Nadia Comăneci Advisory Board Member 9-time medalist, 1976 and 1980 Summer Games Bart Conner Advisory Board Member 2-time medalist, 1984 Summer Games Chris Evert Advisory Board Member 18-time Grand Slam Champion Jackie Joyner-Kersee Advisory Board Member 6-time medalist, 1984, 1988, 1992 and 1996 Summer Games Nancy Kerrigan Chair-Figure Skating 2-time medalist, 1992 and 1994 Winter Games Winter Games Ilana Kloss Advisory Board Member CEO, World Team Tennis Marti Malloy Advisory Board Member 1-time Medalist, 2012 Summer Games Shannon Miller Chair-Gymnastics 7-time Medalist, 1992 and 1996 Summer Games Digit Murphy Advisor Board Member Former NCAA coach: Brown Bears, 2-time champion, 2013 and 2015 Clarkson Cup Judy Murray Advisory Board Member Tennis coach, motivational speaker Monica Seles Chair-Tennis 9-time Grand Slam Champion Kelli Stack Chair-Ice Hockey 2-time medalist, 2010 and 2014 Winter Games
Broadcasting During May 2019, ESPN announced that it was to serve as the exclusive broadcast home for the inaugural Aurora Games.
References
External links Official site