Sochi Notebook - Killy Inspiration, Local Color

Chernyshenko Inspired by Killy

Jean-Claude Killy and the IOC Coordination Commission departed Sochi on Tuesday having affirmed the IOC’s strong support and satisfaction with progress for Sochi 2014.

Sochi 2014 President and CEO Dmitry Chernyshenko offered his thoughts on the winter sports legend and veteran Olympic leader.

"Jean-Claude has been a guiding force and mentor to me and my senior team," Chernyshenko told Around the Rings.

"An outstanding Olympian and a senior guiding figure in Olympic movement, he is tough but fair in his expectations and in his way of working with us. "

Chernyshenko also spoke about the efforts of the Coordination Commission, which spent three days in Krasnaya Polyana from Sunday to Tuesday, attending the super combined event, conducting meetings and touring venues.

"There is no doubt that the incredible progress that Sochi 2014 has made would not be possible without the dedication and professionalism of Jean Claude Killy, Gilbert Felli and all their colleagues on the Coordination Commission," he said. "There is still a long way to go but we are very grateful for their commitment and support to date."

Local Flavor in Krasnaya Polyana

Once a sleepy mountain village, Krasnaya Polyana is beginning to enter the world spotlight with World Cup races being held here and the 2014 Winter Olympics less than two years away.

One cool local hangout which is also startingto welcome foreign visitors is Trikoni – with its stylish and rustic mountain interior, adorned with fun decorations, vintage photos, and now many of the world’s flags. Bands jam in the evening.

You can’t help notice the sign at the door, which asserts that they don’t serve FBI or CIA Agents. While the traditional Borscht soup, chicken sausage, bread and black tea is very typical Russian, the cozy atmosphere almost makes it seem like you could be hanging out après-ski in Truckee, California.

Another longtime business which is feeling the effects of the Olympic preparations and massive infrastructure development is the Fort Eureka Hotel.

Once an old fort, on the walk up to the hotel entrance, you see old cannons, a tranquil pond stocked with fish and a small convenient store selling local products. The restaurant interior is creatively decorated to make guests feel like they are sitting outside a mountain lodge next to a lake. There is a small weight room with panoramic views in the hotel’s four-story tower.

While the hotel exudes old Russian character, it is dwarfed by the massive construction of a large modern hotel being erected directly across the street.

As a result of the project, the Hotel Fort Eureka operates on a daily basis without phone or internet lines. Cell phones do the trick explains the patient hotel manager.

Such is life in Krasnaya Polyana.

Written by Biran Pinelli in Krasnaya Polyana.