The FISU World University Games 2025, one of the world’s largest multi-sport events, takes place in Germany from 16 to 27 July across five cities in the Rhine-Ruhr region – Bochum, Duisburg, Essen, Hagen, and Mülheim an der Ruhr – as well as the capital, Berlin.

Approximately 8,500 athletes from over 150 nations are competing for medals in 18 sports. The basic requirement for participation is that the athletes are enrolled at a university.

Scroll down for the results and all the medal winners from the FISU World University Games Rhine-Ruhr 2025.

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≡ 2026 MEDAL PROJECTIONS ≡

Now that the Olympic Winter Games 2026 medal designs have been revealed, who is going to win them?

The true answer is no one knows just yet, but a clue as to the spread of medals and placings at the Milan Cortina 2026 Games can be taken from compiling the 2025 world championships results in the eight sports and 116 events to be held next year.

So, here it is!

The Sports Examiner reviewed each of the winter-sport worlds held in 2025, compiling the medal winners in 114 of the 116 events held (can you guess two that weren’t; check the end of the story). The compilation showed that 25 countries won the 342 medals in 2026 Winter Olympic events, shown in order of total medals (gold-silver-bronze):

● 41 ~ 17-13-11: Norway
● 35 ~ 8-15-12: Germany
● 33 ~ 15-10-8: United States
● 31 ~ 12-9-10: Switzerland
● 27 ~ 9-9-9: Canada

● 22 ~ 4-10-8: Japan
● 21 ~ 9-5-7: Netherlands
● 18 ~ 8-4-6: France
● 17 ~ 8-6-3: Italy
● 16 ~ 7-3-6: Sweden

● 16 ~ 3-7-6: Austria
● 9 ~ 3-4-2: Great Britain
● 8 ~ 0-4-4: China
● 7 ~ 1-1-5: South Korea
● 7 ~ 0-3-4: Finland

● 6 ~ 1-2-3: Czech Rep.
● 6 ~ 0-2-4: Poland
● 4 ~ 3-1-0: New Zealand
● 4 ~ 3-1-0: Slovenia
● 4 ~ 1-1-2: Australia

● 3 ~ 1-1-1: Belgium
● 3 ~ 0-2-1: Kazakhstan
● 2 ~ 1-1-0: Spain
● 1 ~ 0-1-0: Latvia
● 1 ~ 0-1-0: Ukraine

Seventeen of these are European countries, with four from Asia and two each from the Americas and Oceania. No Russians or Belarusians are shown in the medal counts and some of them could be in Milan Cortina, depending on the International Olympic Committee’s decision on the issue and the International Federations; that’s a wild card in these results.

There’s a lot of similarity in this list to the results of the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing (CHN), contested during a Covid-19 lockdown:

● 37: Norway
● 27: Germany
● 25: United States
● 18: Sweden
● 18: Austria

In 2018 in PyeongChang (KOR):

● 39: Norway
● 31: Germany
● 29: Canada
● 23: United States
● 20: Netherlands

Beyond the 2025 World Championships medal winners, what about the countries with fourth- and fifth-place finishers this year, right behind the Worlds medalists this year? The U.S. came out well here:

● 32: United States
● 22: Italy
● 18: Canada
● 18: Norway
● 17: Austria
● 17: Switzerland

● 16: France
● 13: Sweden
● 11: Germany
● 9: Japan
● 9: China

Is this what will happen? Of course not. But it offers a backdrop to the competitions to come, and a guide to who will the nations to watch in Italy in 2026.

One more thing: a salute to long-time friend Luciano Barra, the chief operating officer of the Turin 2006 Winter Games organizing committee (among many important posts), who created these compilations in past years.

Rich Perelman
Editor

(What about those events for 2026 for which no Worlds event was held in 2025: the new men’s Team Sprint in Nordic Combined and the new men’s Super Team in Ski Jumping. The Figure Skating Team Event standings – not a Worlds event – were compiled from the scores of the four individual events.)

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For our updated, 699-event International Sports Calendar for 2025, 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

An affinity with water flowed through William Owen Lambson’s life, from his childhood in Lexington, Ky., to his death July 7, 2025, at his home near the edge of Flathead Lake.

He was born Oct. 13, 1962, in New Orleans to Theodora and Roger Lambson, the youngest of three children. His siblings and parents were serious, high achievers. “He taught us to play,” says his mom.

She recalls that by the time he was old enough to take swimming lessons, he headed for the diving board. For him, swimming was just a means to reach the side of the pool and dive in again.

He competed in diving and swimming in his early years, and diving and water polo throughout high school and at the University of Kentucky. While attending UK, he also discovered a second passion: business and the intricacies of financial management.

After working at the Bank of Missouri, he earned a master’s degree from the Thunderbird School of Global Management in Phoenix and began a career in international business, working first for Cadence Design Systems as senior treasury manager, and then with Adobe, as the software giant’s director of global payments and treasury. 

The family settled in San Jose, Calif., but his employment with Adobe gave them the opportunity to live in Amsterdam and Dublin, where they immersed themselves in European culture, history and, in Holland, Dutch family connections. They eventually settled in Lake Oswego, Ore., where he was employed for two years at Vesta Corporation as treasurer and director of payments.

He and Anne Cox married in 1996, and had two children: Ben, born in 1999, and Claire in 2003. They later divorced, and William moved to Polson in 2020, following nearly a decade of health challenges that eventually led to a diagnosis of epilepsy.

Although he stepped away from corporate finance, he continued to provide advice and support to young entrepreneurs and start-ups. He also began to reinvent himself, turning to such creative endeavors as building furniture and lamps, taking photographs and creating jewelry. He was a masterful chef and wine connoisseur, and his warm, generous personality made him the family’s favorite host.

It was in Polson, near family and the big lake, that he returned to his love of all things aquatic and found a new love with Shelley Sullivan. Together, they explored Montana and the world, from swimming in Lake Koocanusa to snorkeling in the Caribbean, Puerto Rico and Honduras, or immersing themselves in the cityscapes of New York and Amsterdam. They always sought places, food and experiences that were off the beaten path.

They also found plenty of fun locally, dancing at KwaTaqNuk and the annual Cowboy Ball and boating on Flathead Lake.

For five years, William coached the Lake Monsters swim team at the Mission Valley Aquatic Center, where kids responded to his kind, supportive tutelage, and playful yet competitive spirit.

He also spread his passion for skateboarding – a sport he first embraced in the 1970s and later shared with son Ben. He worked with Jesse Vargas, local businesses and other organizations to expand the Polson Skatepark and organize the annual Skate Jam.  

Collaborating with the Boys and Girls Club, he launched a project aimed at getting skateboards and gear into the hands of kids who couldn’t afford them. He recruited area art teachers, who encouraged students to paint skateboard decks as art projects, which they could either keep or donate. Local artists also pitched in, painting decks that were displayed locally and sold to raise money to purchase more boards.

William (also known as Coach Will to his swimmers, and Wim to childhood friends and cousins) was a vibrant soul – playful and lighthearted, calm and confident, curious and charming. He took his responsibilities seriously, yet still found time to enjoy life and master new skills.  

He was also courageous – especially in confronting the challenges brought by epilepsy, restless leg syndrome and, in the last 10 months of his life, the devastating diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. He was gracious and generous, kind and loving to the very end of his life. Too ill to attend his daughter’s graduation from Seattle University in June, he was able to watch from afar as Claire accepted her diploma, thanks to his mom and her cell phone.

William leaves behind his children, Ben and Claire; wife Shelley and her children, Shay and Jasmine; his mother, Theodora, and her partner, Roger Norgaard; siblings Scott Lambson (Naviya) and Michelle Lambson (Art Soukkala); and nephews Perry and Lindey Lambson. 

The family will gather for a small memorial this month and hopes to hold a celebration of William’s life this fall.

Donations honoring his dedication to youth may be made to Mission Valley Aquatic Center or Polson Skatepark.

Griffin Media, the parent company of CBS and CW affiliates in Tulsa, and the CBS affiliate and an independent in Oklahoma City, is ushering in a new era of local news delivery with the launch of a dedicated digital streaming desk using Marshall Electronics cameras.

In response to the growing demand for digital content across multiple platforms, Griffin Media has repurposed a former prompter operator station into a streaming hub, located adjacent to the on-air control room in its Tulsa facility. This marks the company’s first structured and focused move into expanding its streaming and video-on-demand footprint.

The streaming desk features one Marshall CV568 Miniature Camera with a 12-millimeter lens, which was previously used for the company’s radio division. Known for its image quality and compact design, the Marshall camera provides Griffin Media with a cost-effective and professional-grade solution for live streaming and recorded content.

“It’s pretty unbelievable when you look at how physically small the Marshall camera is and the quality images it’s capturing,” says John Quesnel, statewide director of broadcast automation at News on 6, Tulsa CW, News 9 and KSBI.  “The cameras have SDI output and controls that make setup easy. They’ve allowed us to get into this space economically and effectively. This setup gives us the tools we need to look sharp.”

The digital streaming desk will support breaking news updates, weather coverage and franchise programming including weekly financial and sports segments. The content is streamed across Griffin Media’s news and weather apps, websites, YouTube, Facebook and connected TV platforms. In addition, audio from the sessions will be repurposed as podcasts. “This is our first organized foray into this space,” says Quesnel. “If this proves successful in Tulsa, we’ll look at expanding into our Oklahoma City operations as well.”

With a soft launch that occurred in early May, Griffin Media trained talent and producers to deliver consistent, engaging digital content. This initiative is another example of the company’s commitment to keeping Oklahomans safe, informed and entertained, and forward-thinking approach to keeping pace with changing viewer habits and leveraging innovative tools to reach their audience anytime, anywhere. “The Marshall camera and lens configuration overall is a great fit for this project,” adds Quesnel.

Griffin Media is an Oklahoma-based media company with a long-standing commitment to local journalism. With more than 117 years serving Oklahomans, Griffin Media is recognized for its deep investment in news, weather and sports coverage across TV, radio, outdoor and digital platforms.

Times are tough for many wineries right now, and they may be even tougher for organizers of large-scale events. So it comes with little surprise that the World of Pinot Noir — one of the Central Coast’s largest winery-involved events — announced this week that its shifting gears, ending for now the annual weekend-long gathering at the Ritz-Carlton Bacara in favor of a pop-up model.  

“While a signature weekend was once what consumers and the wine community yearned for, it’s evident that the model of larger gatherings is not the preferred format of the emerging wine consumer,” explained a letter sent out on Wednesday morning from the World of Pinot Noir’s Board of Directors and Advisory Committee. “While some elements of our programming continue to find success, we must shift our focus toward developing smaller, more vibrant, and engaging experiences that ensure WOPN remains the premier organization dedicated to the celebration of pinot noir and Burgundian varietals.”

The news comes just months after WOPN celebrated its 25th anniversary with the usual programming from February 27 to March 1. Attendance was noticeably down from past years’ turnout, when hundreds of people would clamor for tastes of pinot noir from around the world in the ballroom and then pack conference rooms to hear from top producers. The event began at The Cliffs in Shell Beach in 2001 (here’s a reminiscence of the older days), but moved to the Bacara in Goleta in 2014. 

“Just as the wine industry is evolving, so too must the World of Pinot Noir,” said the event’s co-founder Brian Talley of Talley Vineyards. “When we started the event 25 years ago, we were unaware of how successful WOPN would be in connecting with our community of winemakers and enthusiasts. I can’t wait to engage the next generation of wine lovers with new and exciting programs.”  

Instead of hosting the “marquee” event at the Bacara in 2026, the organization is experimenting with pop-up tastings, starting with an event this fall with Wally’s Wine & Spirits in Los Angeles on October 25. If that’s successful, more pop-ups are likely to follow. 

“As we enter our next chapter, we’re thrilled to bring the wine directly to people through our first satellite event in Los Angeles with Wally’s Wine & Spirits this fall,” said WOPN’s board president Katy Rogers, a wine marketing veteran and the founding partner of Likely Story Strategies. “We’re excited for the next 25 years of celebrating Pinot Noir and its Burgundian siblings as we continue evolving with the wine market and what consumers are seeking.”

Since there are still two years left on WOPN’s contract with the Ritz-Carlton Bacara, they are seeking other potential events to take over the 2026 dates, which are February 26-28. They’re also soliciting volunteers to serve on the events and sponsorship committees, as well as anyone interested in investing in the organization’s future. Interested parties can email info@wopn.com.  

The hope is that the larger event may be able to return in 2027. “This break will allow us the time and space to reimagine and restructure the organization’s focus,” said the letter.

LANDSKRONA, Sweden (July 17, 2025) – North Alabama Beach Volleyball rising senior Selma Robinson added a beach volleyball tournament title to her tally over the weekend, as she was crowned champion of the Swedish Beach Tour event in Landskrona, Sweden.

After a successful 2025 season with the Lions, Robinson has carried her winning ways to the international level with a victory at the tour event. The event was held from July 12-13 in her home country of Sweden. Robinson finished 4-0 alongside partner Frida Johansson en route to the title. Robinson and Johansson also won the tournament title without dropping a single set in all four matches.

The Swedish Beach Tour travels every year to Swedish summer cities, where Sweden’s top teams compete for prize money and ranking points. The summer tour includes 10 competitions in nine cities. Landskrona marks the fifth stop along the tour.

The event marks the third tournament Robinson has competed in this summer, appearing previously in events held in Sollentuna and Gothernburg. It also marks the second tour win this summer for Robinson, who went on to win the SBT Gothernburg event held from July 5-6.

The Landskrona field included 12 pairs in the event, competing in a seeding round to start before moving into the main bracket starting with the round of 16.

Robinson and Johansson cruised through the opening match, taking a two-set victory over Felicia Granberg and Camilla Nilsson, 21-12, 21-17. The two automatically advanced to the quarterfinals, continuing the momentum with a 21-9, 21-10 win over Lina and Sofia Russo. The semifinal was a closer bout, but Robinson and Johansson secured the win with a 21-18, 21-15 victory over Emilia Saxne and Sanna Madestam. The final saw the pair triumph in a 21-13, 21-17 victory over Helene Jernbeck and Sara Cavretti.

 

“It’s been a fun and exciting summer so far,” said Robinson. “This is the second weekend in a row that I’ve managed to win at the highest level here in Sweden. It’s challenging but fun to play new teams and see the progress I’ve made over the years while at UNA.”

UNA Beach Volleyball Head Coach Kaleb VanDePerre took note of Robinson’s overseas performance, giving high praise to the senior on her tournament win.

“We’re so proud of Selma and not surprised one bit by her incredible success this summer on the Swedish Beach Tour,” said VanDePerre. “She’s worked diligently on many aspects of her game both physically and mentally, and it’s clearly paying off. She’s trusted the process of what it takes to get better, and it’s great to see her continuous rise. There are a lot of great players in Sweden, and I would argue that Selma is one of, if not, the best. We’re so thankful she’s part of our beach family.”

Robinson looks to continue her winning ways on the SBT tour at Karlskrona from July 25-26. She ends the summer with the Swedish Championships in Åhus from July 27 – August 2.

For more information on North Alabama Athletics, visit www.roarlions.com and follow UNA Athletics on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.