The 1981 World Games were the first World Games, an international multi-sport event, and were held in Santa Clara, California, United States. The games featured sports that were not included in the Olympics, including tug-of-war, racquetball, baseball and softball, artistic roller skating, roller hockey, roller speed skating, finswimming, karate, women's water polo, bowling, bodybuilding, waterskiing, casting, badminton, trampoline, powerlifting and taekwondo. Best estimates for attendance figures were that about 80,000 spectators witnessed the first World Games.
The Portugal national roller hockey team is one of the most successful roller hockey teams of the world, along with Spain, Italy and Argentina.
Finswimming has featured as a trend sport at the World Games since the inaugural 1981 World Games held in Santa Clara, California.
Tug of war was contested in two weight classes for men at the 1981 World Games. These were the first World Games, an international quadrennial multi-sport event, and were held in Santa Clara, California in the United States. The 640 kg tug of war competition was the first event of the games, as it was held immediately following the opening ceremony at the same location, Buck Shaw Stadium. The Swiss athletes were associated with a club from Engelberg, while the United States was represented by a club from Orfordville, Wisconsin. In an interview during the Games, Albert Sabin, the chief judge of the event, revealed that he was from Birmingham, then hastened to add, "England, not (Birmingham) Alabama."
Badminton was introduced and only played at the 1981 World Games. The badminton events of World Games I were held on July 25–28, 1981, at the San Jose Civic Auditorium in San Jose, California, in the United States. These were the first World Games, an international quadrennial multi-sport event, and were hosted by the city of Santa Clara. China, in its first summer multi-sport event since the 1936 Summer Olympics, competed in badminton only, winning four of the five gold medals. Seventeen of the countries at these Games participated in badminton, making it one of the most represented sports. The players executive of the International Badminton Federation, Ciro Ciniglio, expressed disappointment at the lack of media coverage of badminton, saying, "We have many world champions competing here and ... were hoping all these great players would draw crowds. ... The United States over the years has had very good players, some of the finest. It was our hope to help the sport gain popularity in the United states by showcasing all this fine talent."
Argentina women's national inline hockey team is the Argentinean national team in Women's Roller in-line hockey. The team competed in the 2013 Women's World Inline Hockey Championships.
Medal events in both men's (4) and women's (2) bodybuilding were included in World Games I. They were held on July 30–31, 1981, at the San Jose Center for the Performing Arts in San Jose, California. The 1981 Games were the first World Games, an international quadrennial multi-sport event, and were held in California's Santa Clara Valley. In the bodybuilding competition, the preliminary rounds featured two-on-two competition. Point scoring was based on mandatory posing and optional posing determined by the athlete. 26 of the countries at these Games participated in bodybuilding, making it one of the most represented sports.
The World Games I taekwondo events in ten weight categories were held on July 29-31, 1981, at Toso Pavilion on the Santa Clara University campus. These were the first World Games, an international quadrennial multi-sport event, and were held in Santa Clara, California in the United States. The South Korean taekwondo athletes were favored to sweep the gold medals in all ten weight classes. The victory of a Canadian athlete in the heavyweight class was called "the biggest upset of World Games I."
The World Games I baseball competition was held on July 27–30, 1981, at San Jose Municipal Stadium in San Jose, California. The 1981 Games were the first World Games, an international quadrennial multi-sport event, and were held in California's Santa Clara Valley. Teams from the United States, Australia, South Korea and Panama participated.
The World Games I women's water polo competition was held on July 25–27, 1981, at Santa Clara International Swim Center in Santa Clara, California. Teams from the United States (2), Netherlands and Canada participated. Six days before the first game, Canada had become the newly-crowned World Cup champion in Brisbane, Australia, in a competition that included the same three teams that medaled in these Games.
Both men's and women's softball tournaments were conducted during World Games I. The games were played July 30 - August 2, 1981 at Central Park in Santa Clara, California. Teams from the United States, Canada, the Bahamas and Chinese Taipei participated in the women's event, while in the men's event, the United States, Canada, the Bahamas and Mexico were initially slated to appear. As the time of the Games approached, the Mexican team withdrew for financial reasons and was replaced by a second team from the United States.
The waterskiing events of World Games I were held on July 25–26, 1981, at Berkeley Aquatic Park in Berkeley, California. These were the first World Games, an international quadrennial multi-sport event, and were hosted by the city of Santa Clara, California, in the United States. A world record in tricks highlighted the first day of competition. Ana Maria Carrasco of Venezuela broke her own world record with a score of 6970.
The artistic roller skating events of World Games I were held on July 27–30, 1981, at Cal Skate Roller Rink in Milpitas, California, in the United States. These were the first World Games, an international quadrennial multi-sport event, and were hosted by the city of Santa Clara.
The road speed skating events of World Games I were held on August 1, 1981, in the vicinity of Marriott’s Great America amusement park in Santa Clara, California, in the United States. These were the first World Games, an international quadrennial multi-sport event, and were hosted by the city of Santa Clara. This was the first time that the marathon and half-marathon road events were conducted in international competition. Both events were held on the city streets of Santa Clara. Tom Peterson of the United States set an American record in winning the marathon.
The karate events of World Games I were held on July 25–27, 1981, at the Toso Pavilion on the campus of Santa Clara University in California, United States. These were the first World Games, an international quadrennial multi-sport event, and were hosted by the city of city of Santa Clara. It was anticipated that Japanese athletes would perform well at karate. They did so by winning 12 medals among the nine events, including five gold medals.
The powerlifting events of World Games I were held on July 25–26, 1981, at Marriott's Great America amusement park in its Grandstand Pavilion in Santa Clara, California. These were the first World Games, an international quadrennial multi-sport event, and were hosted by the city of Santa Clara in the United States. The powerlifting events apparently had a dearth of competitors, as there were no bronze medals awarded in eight of the nine events, and lifters representing the United States won 15 of the 18 medals awarded. In the -100 kg class, Jim Cash of the U.S. set world records in both dead lift and total lift.
The trampoline gymnastics events of World Games I were held on July 29–30, 1981, at the San Jose Civic Auditorium in San Jose, California, in the United States. These were the first World Games, an international quadrennial multi-sport event, and were hosted by the city of Santa Clara. Athletes from the United States won 17 of the 23 trampoline medals awarded.
The track speed skating events of World Games I were held on July 29–31, 1981, in Parking Lot J of Marriott’s Great America amusement park in Santa Clara, California, in the United States. These were the first World Games, an international quadrennial multi-sport event, and were hosted by the city of Santa Clara. The course was a 400-meter triangle-shaped track. Italian athletes won 11 of the 18 track speed skating medals.
The finswimming events of World Games I were held on July 25–27, 1981, at Santa Clara International Swim Center in Santa Clara, California, in the United States. These were the first World Games, an international quadrennial multi-sport event, and were hosted by the city of Santa Clara. Athletes from Italy won 16 of the 36 total medals. France followed with 11 medals. Jürgen Kolenda of West Germany collected four gold medals.
The sport casting events of World Games I were held on July 29–August 2, 1981, at Gunderson High School in San Jose, California, in the United States. These were the first World Games, an international quadrennial multi-sport event, and were hosted by the city of Santa Clara. The World Casting Championships were held simultaneously and included women, juniors and pros. The only World Games casting events were these 11 men’s contests. Casters from the United States won 18 of the 33 medals awarded, with Steve Rajeff collecting four gold medals.
