INTERCOM DR. LEITNER AS KEY PARTNER OF THE 2026 MILANO CORTINA WINTER OLYMPIC GAMES
World premiere on ice – and a complete system for all eight Olympic arenas in Milan
With a world premiere in speed skating and a comprehensive infrastructure contract, Intercom Dr. Leitner is one of the key technology partners for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan Cortina. For the first time in the history of the Games, a complete 400-meter speed skating track will be realized as a mobile system – with full Olympic competition quality.
But this innovation is only part of a much larger commitment: with its Realice – Ice Rink Technologies brand, Intercom Dr. Leitner is responsible for all the ice technology for all competitions on ice in Milan – a total of 8 competition and training venues.
“From a technical standpoint, this project proves that even highly complex sports facilities, which are usually built as permanent large-scale installations, can be converted into a temporary, modular system – without compromising on precision, temperature stability, or ice quality. Emotionally, the Olympics are the highest stage for our sport. Being able to implement a complete competition facility of this magnitude on a mobile basis fills our entire team with great pride,” says Christof Leitner, CEO of Intercom Dr. Leitner.
Highest precision for completely different disciplines
The technical requirements of Olympic ice sports could hardly be more different:
Ice hockey requires ice that is resistant but not too hard for fast puck movements. Figure skating requires a softer structure for safe jumps. Curling deliberately uses “warm” ice for controlled sliding of the stones. Speed skating, on the other hand, requires extremely hard, very cold, and particularly pure ice.
The decisive factor here is not only the refrigeration system, but also the water treatment, for which Intercom Dr. Leitner is responsible at all locations. The purity, temperature, and hardness of the water are key determinants of ice quality. All systems—from refrigeration technology and piping to substructures and insulation—must be perfectly coordinated. The mobile 400-meter track alone comprises over 280 kilometers of piping.
Comprehensive Olympic contract
In addition to the speed skating arena, Intercom Dr. Leitner is responsible for the two ice hockey competition venues—the Milano Santa Giulia Ice Hockey Arena and the Milano Ice Park—including all training halls. There is also the permanent Milano Ice Skating Arena for short track and figure skating, as well as two additional training halls. The scope of services includes ice rinks, boarding systems, Zamboni machines, and all technical personnel on site.
The company also supplies snowmobiles, quads, side-by-sides, snow blowers, and safety and track systems for all snow competitions.
Olympic responsibility
All equipment must function flawlessly from the first training session to the last competition—under the constant scrutiny of the media, sports associations, and millions of viewers worldwide. Logistics, spare parts supply, maintenance, ice quality, and response times must be guaranteed at Olympic level at all times. No other sporting event is comparable in this respect.
Sustainability and future
Modular construction, energy efficiency, and reusability are key requirements for modern Olympic Games. Mobile systems avoid permanent large-scale construction, lower costs, and reduce the carbon footprint. After the Games, the mobile 400-meter track will also be dismantled and reused—a clear advantage for host cities.
At the same time, Milano Cortina 2026 is setting technological trends for international ice sports: digital controls, energy-efficient refrigeration systems, automated ice preparation, and modular ice surfaces form the basis for a sustainable, globally applicable sports infrastructure – and make ice sports even more accessible in the future.
Intercom Dr. Leitner is a family-run company with strong international expansion. Since its foundation in 1968, the South Tyrolean company based in Freienfeld/Sterzing (Italy) has successfully positioned itself in various markets. In addition to the ice sector and the internationally renowned REALICE – Ice Rink Technologies brand, it is also successfully active in the All Terrain (snowmobiles, ATVs, and SSVs) and Road & Airport (cleaning technology for winter and summer services on traffic areas) sectors.
