The Badger State Winter Games will return to Wausau and North Central Wisconsin next month in an attempt to uncover the area's top winter athletes.

From Feb. 4-6, the Olympic-style competition will serve as a forum for amateur skiers and skaters alike to battle at a wide range of skill levels.

The festivities will begin Friday, Feb. 4 at 6 p.m. with a pre-ceremonies party. The official opening ceremony will follow at 7:30 -- highlighted by the presence of the Oscar Mayer Weinermobile, a hot air balloon, horse-drawn wagon rides and the honoring of UW women's hockey coach Julie Sasner.

The one newcomer to the list of games in 2000 is freestyle snowboarding, which will take place at Cascade Mountain Range in Portage. Other events include:

• Cross Country Skiing
• Curling
• Downhill Skiing/Alpine Snowboard
• Figure Skating
• Adult Hockey
• Youth Hockey
• Quadrathlon
• Ski Jumping
• Snoeshoe Racing
• Speedskating

Downloadable registration forms are available from the Games' Web site for advance signups, but athletes will be able to sign up for cross country skiing, snowshoeing, the quadrathlon and ski jumping on the weekend of the events.

New for the 2000 games is online registration for participants in cross country skiing.

In 1985, Wisconsin was the 16th state to join the National Congress of State Games, which has now grown to more than 40 members. The popularity of the games has grown to make it the largest sports festival in the state -- attracting more than 18,000 participants for the 1999 Summer Games alone.

Registration handbooks can also be picked up at your local American Family Insurance Agency or by calling BSG at 1-608-226-4780.

To volunteer to work for the non-profit games, call 1-608-226-4780, ext. 231 or write to BSG Volunteers, P.O. Box 7788, Madison, WI 53707-7788.