But preparation for this event did not start weeks in advance. It started two years ago — and over the last six months, the pace intensified in a way that’s hard to even describe.

In March, figure skaters from 39 countries arrived in Prague. In total: 36 men, 35 women, 24 pairs teams, and 31 ice dance couples. Over four days, they turned the O2 arena into a sold-out venue night after night.

But what the audience sees is only the tip of the iceberg. What does it actually mean to build an event of this scale?

We started a week in advance with the construction of the training ice rink at O2 Universum. A space normally used for concerts was transformed within days into a fully functional sports facility that had to meet the standards of a major arena. Experience from the Ice Hockey World Championship helped — but this time, we were operating under an even tighter schedule. Day and night shifts ran continuously. The training rink arrived on 7 trucks, and we installed chillers using cranes outside the venue to power the ice system.

Then came the reality of production: hundreds of people, dozens of spaces, and endless details. We brought in 3 truckloads of furniture and octanorm systems for offices and additional structures. It turned into the largest “table operation” we’ve ever done — over 500 work tables were used across the venue. One full truck of truss was dedicated solely to mixed zones for media interviews.

We then moved into O2 Arena, where the next time-critical challenge began. Limited build time in the middle of the hockey season, and all technical installation had to be done directly from the ice. The lighting design and LED content were expanded with 112 kinetic lights in triangular formations, mounted on 336 winches, reflecting the visual identity of the championship. In total, we rigged 37 tons of equipment into the roof structure of O2 Arena — 1,100 meters of truss, 9 cyberhoists, 220 fixtures, and LED installations. The cyberhoists added dynamic movement to the show and were used both in the opening ceremony and during the medal presentations. Lighting programming and show control were prepared in advance in our Wygroom, and later fine-tuned on site, where we relocated our mobile production studio.

We also designed the iconic Kiss & Cry area, where emotions are decided in seconds. The Leaders’ chair? A small detail with huge tension — waiting until the very last moment to see if the second chair would arrive from Spain on time.

And then came the carpet. Lots of it. Along with molton and endless meters of fabric. We covered every angle of the arena to ensure perfect camera shots from every perspective.

And what would a world championship be without an opening show? A production by Michal Caban, featuring around 70 dancers, skaters, and acrobats, transformed the arena into an entirely different world.

But our venue production didn’t stop there. The days were long. Very long. Training sessions started at 6:30 in the morning, and the evening program ran until around 10:30 pm.

And in between? More events within the event — Draw Conference, Council Meeting, and finally the Sunday Banquet with the awards ceremony. In other words: it was nonstop.

And when the final applause faded… we were still not done. During Sunday night and Monday, we had to completely clear out the entire arena. Over the following two days, we also dismantled and transported the entire training rink and all infrastructure from O2 Universum.

This was not just a sports event.

This was production pushed to the limits of time and space. But also an experience that cannot be repeated — only built upon.

Huge thanks to all the teams we had the privilege to work with in creating something so unique, beautiful, and supported by an incredible audience atmosphere.