China sent a 55-member delegation to compete at the 25th Winter University Games at Erzurum, Turkey, which is much smaller compared to the team of Harbin Universiade in 2009.

Most of the top college athletes were recruited to compete at the Asian Winter Games in Kazahstan from January 30-February 6, leaving a compacted and less competitive delegation for the Universiade.

A total of 193 Chinese athletes competed at the 2009 Harbin Winter Universiade, finishing atop of the gold medal standings with 18 gold, 18 silver and 10 bronze medals.

Two or three gold medals will satisfy the Chinese team without the first-string squads at Erzurum. China could have shots on medals at the short-track speed skating and figure skating events.

China will also compete at other events like curling, snowboarding, free-style skiing and Alpine skiing at the Winter Universiade, which is slated from January 27-February 6.

Guo Baoku, who won the men's 1,500m at the Asian Winter Games in 2007 and at the National Games in 2010, leads the short-track speed skating team.

China also send some leading figures of the youth figure skating like Guan Xueting/Wang Meng to Erzurum.

More than 2,800 athletes will compete in 11 events at the 10-day Universiade.