FIS Skiing Experts Assess Sochi 2014 Venue

(ATR) The International Ski Federation, FIS, tells Around the Rings it is satisfied with progress on the Sochi venue for the 2014 Winter Olympics.

A FIS delegation gave a thumbs up to work on Rosa Khutor following a recent inspection of the venue in the Krasnaya Polyana mountains near the Black Sea resort.

The federation's third inspection of the site, approximately 30 miles from Sochi, was led by vice chairman of the FIS Alpine Executive Board, Bernhard Russi, and included chief race director for women’s alpine skiing, Atle Skaardal.

"What we see right now is that most of the courses are almost ready," Skaardal told ATR.

"We still have some work which involves adjusting some of the bumps, jumps and compressions. A tunnel which would cross underneath the race courses might also be built."

In the coming months, an artificial snowmaking system will be installed in addition to other safety elements on the mountain. An extensive lift system also needs to be completed.

In February of 2011, the slopes at Rosa Khutor will be tested for the first time during the FIS European Cup.

The IOC warned Russia's Olympic organizers this week to maintain the pace of the construction on the more than 200 venue and infrastructure projects needed for the 2014 Games.

Olympic Games executive director Gilbert Felli told reporters at SportAccord in Dubai that the construction timetable was "always something we are scrutinizing very carefully. We are happy with the deadlines but there is still a lot to do".

Skaardal told ATR: "The overall impression is that they are quite on time with alpine skiing."

"Competitions can already be staged in Rosa Khutor tomorrow," added Russi following the FIS inspection tour.

"I am very satisfied with the results. Once work is completed on the artificial snow system and safety nets are installed, the site will be fully ready for training and competitions in all ski events."

Challenges for Sochi

Skaardal, a former Norwegian downhill racer who competed on the World Cup tour from 1990 until 1996, winning seven races in addition to two World Championship titles, has held his current position with FIS since 2005.

He believes the biggest challenge facing Sochi to ensure the smooth delivery of FIS venues for the Games relates to staffing of the 2014 organizing committee.

"The main concern and it’s a little bit hard to know the exact status right now is the work employing and hiring the different people which you need for organizing an Olympics," he said. "It’s quite difficult to find enough qualified manpower in all of these specific areas."

"Responsible people need to be involved now and take charge in several organizing aspects so that they can start building knowledge for alpine skiing and are prepared when the day comes."

Noting the warm and wet weather issues that hit the skiing events at the Vancouver Games, Skaardal said Sochi officials would need to be ready to deal with varying weather patterns and the inevitability of delays, schedule changes and cancellations in staging alpine events in 2014.

"It will be a tough challenge for them at the Olympics," said Skaardal.

"As we now know after Vancouver, they could have a difficult time with some changing weather and we do expect a great amount of precipitation in Sochi also. It should be snow unlike Vancouver where there was rain, so it will also be very challenging. They will have no time to lose in this direction."

Like Vancouver’s Whistler Creekside, Rosa Khutor will be spectator-friendly with both the men’s and women’s alpine events sharing a common finish area.

But unlike Whistler, the finish area in Sochi will be L-shaped and significantly larger with the ladies’ courses entering from the left and the men to the right. If weather becomes a problem, races and training could be held simultaneously with both entering the finish area at the same time.

Design ofRosa Khutor

Russi, the 1972 Olympic downhill champion and ten-time World Cup winner, will design and oversee the shaping and sculpting of the courses at Rosa Khutor. The 61-year-old former Swiss racer has been putting his mark on Olympic downhill runs dating back to 1988 in Calgary.

"Mr. Russi has done the design and from my point of view has done a tremendous job so far," said Skaardal. "And it’s not only about designing the race courses but also an overall ski resort for usage after the Olympics are finished. It’s a huge job for him."

The new Rosa Khutor ski resort will boast over 5,000ft of vertical drop and eventually become one of the largest in Europe. Skaardal likes most of the terrain available for the tracks.

"In detail, I think the downhill is great and close to the maximum vertical drop for ladies," he said.

"It will have some big jumps, gliding parts and also very steep pitches so everything in there that you would expect from an Olympic downhill. I think the slalom hill will be great also."

"One of the challenges in terms of terrain will be for the giant slalom and super-G. It is still very highly qualified slopes, but I wouldn’t use the expression ‘excellent.’"

Nonetheless, he believes they will get it right for the Games.

"I think the people directly involved with the construction work of everything going on at the ski resort right now are really motivated," added Skaardal.

"They have a lot of people and things are happening quite fast. I think the Russian style is that when they decide to do something, they really prove that they are capable of accomplishing a project with high quality on very little time. I have no concerns whatsoever in terms of all that needs to be constructed."

"For me the only thing which we don’t have the answer for yet is how they will prove their expertise in organizing."

Written by Brian Pinelli.