On the Scene in Annecy - Military Winter Games Open

(ATR) On the shores of Lake Annecy in the Haute-Savoie region of France, the 2nd International Military Sports Council World Winter Games were officially declared open during a festive 90-minute opening ceremony Monday evening.

More than 1,000 athletes representing 40 nations marched into the stadium in Champ de Mars Park, beginning a week of winter sports competition in alpine skiing and cross-country skiing, biathlon, ski mountaineering, ski orienteering, indoor climbing and short track speed skating, with events being held in Annecy and at four mountain venues in the region.

All participating athletes at the CISM World Winter Games are affiliated with and receive support from their nation’s military. Established in 1948 by the five countries of France, Belgium, Denmark, Luxembourg and the Netherlands, CISM is dedicated to the quest for peace and camaraderie with sport as the means. The organization’s motto is "Friendship Through Sport."

With light rain falling in the scenic lakeside resort town, General Jean-René Bachelet, the President of Annecy 2013, addressed the estimated crowd of between 12 and 15,000 in attendance at the opening ceremony.

"Welcome to the Haute-Savoie and welcome to France," said Bachelet. "Together, we will experience an intense and meaningful sense of camaraderie full of promise for a world of peace and harmony."

Bachelet’s speech was followed by Colonel Hamad Kalkaba Malboum of Cameroon, who has served as CISM President since 2010.

"I have the great honor on this important occasion of expressing to the host country France, its President, and all the civilian, military and sports authorities involved, our organization’s deep gratitude," said the CISM President.

"It is worth mentioning for the younger generations present here that France was one of the five founding member nations of CISM when it was formed on the eighteenth of February nineteen forty-eight in France," he said.

Sixty-five years after its founding, CISM is back in the country of its birth, this time in Annecy, an Olympic city located in the heart of the beautiful Haute-Savoie region at the foot of Mont Blanc," said Malboum.

Jean-Yves Drian, the French Minister of Defense, was next to speak about the importance of the Games while directly addressing the athletes.

"This event serves as a reminder that in today’s world of uncertainty, violence and war, the future of our armed services lies more than ever on the path to peace and friendship among nations and peoples," Drian said.

"To the athletes, I wish you the best," he said. "Give it your all and push your limits, but always stay true to the spirit of these Games. For it is by challenging yourself and opening up to others that the greatest victories are won."

French alpine skier Tessa Worley, who won a world title in giant slalom in January, gave the Athletes Oath.

Following more pageantry, music by the French naval band Bagad de Lann-Bihoue and an impressive tribute to climbing and mountaineering in the region, the torch arrived into the stadium carried by French biathlete Sandrine Bailly and 2011 slalom world champion Jean-Baptiste Grange.

As the rain subsided, a stunning fireworks extravaganza that lit up the shores of Lake Annecy concluded the evening program.

The International Military Sports Council is recognized by the United Nations and IOC, and its primary objective is promoting sporting activities among countries to help foster world peace.

Torchbearer, French Alpine Superstar Grange

An Olympian in 2006 and a nine-time winner in slalom on the World Cup, Jean-Baptiste Grange spoke about the honor of representing the host nation as final torchbearer alongside Bailly.

"It’s a great honor for me because I was in the Army for five years," said Grange in an interview with Around the Rings prior to the opening ceremony. "I’m happy to be here tonight and to carry the torch."

Grange, who missed the entire 2012-2013 FIS World Cup season due to a right knee injury, spoke of the importance of the CISM Games this week in lieu of Annecy’s failed bid for the 2018 Olympic Games.

"In the Alps we know how to have great events," Grange said. "We don’t have the Olympics in 2018, but to do these kind of events to promote our sports is really important and everyone in the region is really happy to have this here," he said.

"I think that maybe in 2022, although I won’t be there competing, we can have the Olympic Games in Annecy."

Annecy Games, Venues; Giant Slalom Postponement

Situated 30 minutes from Geneva, the lakeside city Annecy is often referred to as the Venice of the Alps.

Chamonix, which is located nearly 100 kilometers from Annecy, hosted the first Winter Olympics in 1924 and is often considered the birthplace of winter sports. The rugged alpine setting will be the venue for ski mountaineering with skiers challenging their technical abilities on majestic Mont-Blanc.

Alpine skiing with French stars Adrien Theaux and Tessa Worley will be contested on the slopes of La Clusaz while Nordic events will take place on the trails of nearby Le Grand Bornand. Ski orienteering will occur at the resort of La Semnoz, high above Annecy.

Competition at the Games gets underway Tuesday morning, although the alpine skiing giant slalom races were re-scheduled until Wednesday due to a weather forecast in La Clusaz of above-zero temperatures, fog and light snow.

Events on the schedule for Tuesday are men’s and women’s individual mountaineering competitions at Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, middle distance orienteering in La Semnoz, cross-country team sprints in Le Grand Bornand and climbing qualifications at Berthollet Gymnasium in Annecy. Indoor climbing and short track speed skating, in addition to the evening medal ceremonies, will be held in Annecy.

In addition to Worley and Theaux, other elite level athletes expected to compete this week in the Haute-Savoie are French biathlon world champion Martin Fourcade, Swiss Olympic cross-country skiing champion Dario Cologna, Italian Olympic slalom champion Giuliano Razzoli and short track speed skating medalist Arianna Fontana and Norwegian Olympic biathlon medalists Tora and Lars Berger.

Written and reported in Annecy by Brian Pinelli

20 Years at #1: Your best source of news about the Olympics is AroundTheRings.com, for subscribers only.