Day one of the ISU Short Track Speed Skating World Cup got underway today in front of a packed stadium in the Gangneung Ice Arena.
The three day competition is the first test event for ice sports at the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic & Paralympic Winter Games and is the last event of the 2016 calendar. Next year there will be a further 22 test events as the Organizing Committee continues preparations for the 2018 Games.
At the newly completed Ice Arena, which was officially opened on Wednesday, the men’s and ladies qualifying for the individual and relay races were hotly contested on the 111.2m track with over 4,500 fans cheering them on.
China’s double Olympic medalist HAN Tianyu said, "Competing in the ISU World Cup is a great opportunity to familiarize myself with the short track venue for PyeongChang 2018. The ice quality is so good, I already feel like I’m skating at the Olympic Games. In fact, the facilities are much better than other international event venues I’ve competed in."
The three-time Olympic medalist Marianne ST-GELAIS mentioned, "As we know we’re going to come here again in one year, it’s always exciting to participate in the test event. The ice is pretty nice and it’s close to what we have in Montreal. It’s nice to have the same feeling and comfort."
LEE Hee-beom, President & CEO of PyeongChang 2018, said, "It is wonderful to see such a big and enthusiastic crowd with us at Gangneung Ice Arena today. Speed Skating is a very popular sport in Korea so it is great to have so many fans here to experience the new venue and get a taste of what is to come at the Winter Games next year. This three-day event is another chance for our staff to work with the international federations and ensure we are on track to deliver a wonderful experience for the athletes, officials and all the spectators."
The action continues on Saturday and Sunday from 09:30(KST).
All results can be found here.
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