--- title: Göle Sled Festival slug: gole-sled-festival-2c15b url: /detay/gole-sled-festival-2c15b type: article language: English entity: primary: Göle Sled Festival type: article disambiguation: Göle Sled Festivali: Türkiye'nin en soğuk ilçesinde heyecan dolu bir kış sporu festivali! categories: - name: General Knowledge slug: genel-kultur url: /kategori/genel-kultur - name: Sport slug: spor url: /kategori/spor - name: Travel And Tourism slug: seyahat-ve-turizm url: /kategori/seyahat-ve-turizm tags: - Sled - WinterFestival - SledFestival - Göle - Ardahan author: Kadir Maden created_at: 2025-05-28T17:40:43.590504+03:00 updated_at: 2025-06-12T17:33:25.683977+03:00 image: https://cdn.t3pedia.org/media/uploads/2025/05/28/KtXbvnCVf8gUWZrwuYyRFsLRIKRHNqs5.jpg --- # Göle Sled Festival ## KURE Information Cards ### KURE Information Card: Göle Sled Festival ![f5.jpg](https://cdn.t3pedia.org/media/uploads/2025/05/28/n9ZAKU9XMe16sL9DKcRilefEVcF8TWMP.jpg) | Field | Value | |-------|-------| | Purpose of the Festival | To preserve the sledding culture,To contribute to winter tourism | | Starting Year | 2025 | | Festival Venue | Around Göle Central Mosque | ## Article Content Göle is a district located 45 km from the city center of Ardahan and is surrounded by various districts of Kars and Erzurum. The district center lies on a flat plain at an average altitude of 2,038 meters, while the villages are spread across both flat and hilly terrains. Covering an area of 1,420 km², Göle is notable for its extensive forest cover, pastures, and meadows; 65% of Ardahan’s forests are located in this district. Barley, wheat, and potatoes stand out in agricultural activities, while livestock farming also contributes to the local economy. ![Image](https://cdn.kureansiklopedi.com/media/uploads/2025/05/28/4lHXDAATgfFfM6Zhg3N63wp6qNxrFXT1.jpg) *Göle (Anadolu Agency)* ### **Climate of Göle** Summers in Göle are mild and rainy, with temperatures usually ranging between 25 and 30°C. Agricultural activity intensifies during the summer months. Winters, on the other hand, are long and harsh, with temperatures dropping to as low as -30 to -35°C. Snow thickness often reaches one meter, and due to the plain's basin-like shape, foggy days are frequent. Göle has repeatedly recorded the coldest daily temperatures in Türkiye. On December 21, 2024, it reached -23°C, and on January 29, 2025, it hit -32°C, making it the coldest place in Türkiye on those dates. ![Image](https://cdn.kureansiklopedi.com/media/uploads/2025/05/28/d49OLaBZXVhCWR2z2YQzKSAv3AWepmnc.jpg) *Winter season in Göle (Anadolu Agency)* ### **Sledding Sport** Traditional sledding begins at a marked starting line on a snow track; the race starts when the athlete propels themselves forward by pushing off stakes planted on both sides. Before descending, competitors may gain extra momentum by striking snow mounds positioned along the sides of the track or may choose to proceed directly into the race. Once speed is gained, the athlete lies on their back on the sled, extends their legs forward to reduce wind resistance, and holds onto their pants to maintain balance during the slide. Regional differences are observed in traditional sledding: in the Kastamonu region, competitors sled on their backs, while in Erzurum, they prefer the prone (face-down) position. ![Image](https://cdn.kureansiklopedi.com/media/uploads/2025/05/28/R99ekGBLyDeoOz2nUKiGte6BrjuSnApO.jpg) *Luge race at the Olympics (Anadolu Agency)* Sledding made its Olympic debut at the 1964 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck. Athletes raced lying on their backs on special sleds down icy tracks, reaching speeds of up to 135 km/h. Initially emerging as a competitive sport in the late 19th century in the Swiss Alps, sledding gained international recognition with the founding of the International Luge Federation (FIL) in 1957. Olympic competitions include men's singles, women's singles, and doubles, with the team relay added in Sochi 2014. In the upcoming Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, both men’s and women’s doubles will be featured. In Türkiye, the “Interclub Natural Track Luge Championship” is held by the Turkish Luge Federation. ![Image](https://cdn.kureansiklopedi.com/media/uploads/2025/05/28/CTjgT0KPfkiQFL0LuhSnZ5RMKX4FOHMN.jpg) *Luge race (Anadolu Agency)* ### **Sled Festival** On February 26, 2025, the "1st Göle Sled Festival" was held in Göle, one of the coldest districts in Türkiye, to support winter tourism and preserve sledding culture. Organized by the District Directorate of Youth and Sports and supported by associations representing Göle, the festival took place behind the Central Mosque, drawing approximately 50 competitors. Awards were given to those who placed in the races. [YouTube Video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3aZje15t44) *Anadolu Agency's news report on the Göle Sled Festival (Haber Sarıkamış)* ## Academic Sources and References 1. Research Sources“About Our District.” Göle District Directorate of National Education. Accessed May 28, 2025. Accessed Address.“Our History.” T.C. Göle Municipality. Accessed May 28, 2025. Accessed Address.“Sled Festival Held in Göle, One of Turkey’s Coldest Districts.” Anadolu Agency. Accessed May 28, 2025. Accessed Address.“Göle in Ardahan Became Turkey’s Coldest Place with -32°C.” TRT News. Accessed May 28, 2025. Accessed Address.“Ardahan was Turkey’s Coldest Province with -23.3°C.” Anadolu Agency. Accessed May 28, 2025. Accessed Address.“Traditional Sledding.” Turkish Federation of Traditional Sports. Accessed May 28, 2025. Accessed Address.“What is luge.” Olympics. Accessed May 28, 2025. Accessed Address.“Interclub Natural Luge Turkey Championship Concluded in Kars.” Anadolu Agency. Accessed May 28, 2025. Accessed Address.Audiovisual SourcesAyas, Yusuf. “Snow-Covered Ardahan’s Göle Viewed by Drone.” Anadolu Agency. Accessed May 28, 2025. https://www.aa.com.tr/tr/yasam/karla-kaplanan-ardahan-gole-dronla-goruntulendi/3515346“Göle District in Ardahan Reaches -40 Degrees.” Anadolu Agency. Accessed May 28, 2025. https://www.aa.com.tr/tr/turkiye/ardahanin-gole-ilcesi-eksi-40-dereceyi-gordu/1730266Ayas, Yusuf. “Sled Festival Held in Göle, One of Turkey’s Coldest Districts.” Anadolu Agency. Accessed May 28, 2025.https://www.aa.com.tr/tr/yasam/turkiyenin-en-soguk-ilcelerinden-golede-kizak-festivali-duzenlendi/3494094“Zoeggeler Makes Olympic History.” Anadolu Agency. Accessed May 28, 2025. https://www.aa.com.tr/tr/spor/zoeggeler-olimpiyat-tarihine-gecti/183821“Sled Festival Held in Göle, One of Turkey’s Coldest Districts.” Haber Sarıkamış. Accessed May 28, 2025. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3aZje15t44