Given that there is a vast distance between Australia and Europe, the expense of travel and accommodation has been a barrier to European training and competition.
The Province of Varese has good climatic conditions and has good access to a range of competition venues and sporting facilities.
"Great facility, location and staff. Our training camp was a great success"
Sandy Brondello - Australian Senior Women’s Basketball Head Coach
AIS European Training Centre Facilities & Services
The AIS European Training Centre offers accommodation, training facilities and services to support visiting Australian athletes and support staff. These services and facilities, which are accessible for athletes and staff with a disability, include:
- 25 ensuite bedrooms with two beds per room with weekly servicing [includes seven wheelchair accessible rooms]. Single and twin hotel accommodation is also available adjacent to ETC at Sunset Hotel.
- Dining Hall, local onsite catering
- An AIS Sport Nutrition approved food service program
- Strength and conditioning gym
- Hot and cold recovery pools
- Physical therapy and medical support (during peak season for Australian high performance athletes)
- Sports medicine consulting rooms for team doctors
- Sports science laboratory
- Media room
- Free Wi-Fi
- TV room
- Bulk storage for boats and equipment
- Laundry
- Self-catering kitchen
- Games room and chill out zone
- Physiotherapy and Massage area
- Quiet (study) room
- Team administration offices and meeting rooms
- Conference facilities
- On-site centre administration support, including coordination of training/competition venues
- Coordination of self-drive vehicles for travel locally to and from venues
Training and competition facilities in the Province of Varese
A number of these facilities are owned by the Province of Varese and form the basis of the cooperation arrangement with Sport Australia, while others are commercially owned and operated. Further to the following list, additional sports could be catered for.
- Archery range
- Athletics track (incl. pole vault, high jump and long jump)
- Basketball halls (wheelchair accessible)
- Beach volleyball
- Canoe/kayak courses
- Combat sports halls
- Cycling (road, BMX and mountain)
- Football pitches
- Golf courses
- Ice hockey and skating rinks
- Multiuse playing fields, including synthetic fields
- Rowing courses
- Running/ race walking paths and trails
- Rugby oval
- Sailing facilities
- Shooting range
- Swimming pool (25m)
- Table tennis
- Triathlon training courses
- Tennis courts
- Volleyball halls