Sochi Scene - Medal Targets; Mayor's Promise; Testing 1,2,3

Testing, Testing 1,2,3

Sochi’s busy season of test events resumes this week with three running simultaneously from Feb. 1 to 3.

Training sessions kicked off Monday for the FIS Cross-Country World Cup at "Laura" Cross-Country Ski & Biathlon Center, which is hosting its first elite international competition.

"After several years of planning, Sochi 2014 will now have a final opportunity to test the new facilities at the highest level, and to continue to refine their processes and further train the staff," said a statement from Gian-Franco Kasper, president of the International Ski Federation.

"For the world’s best Cross-Country athletes this will be the only opportunity to experience the Olympic venues in competition shape before the 2014 Games in just a year’s time," he added.

Also this week, FIS is holding a Nordic Combined World Cup at "RusSki Gorki" Jumping Center, where the Nordic combined track and K-125 Olympic ski jump will be tested for the first time.

A stage of the Samsung ISU Short Track World Cup rounds out the week’s schedule for Sochi.

"All skaters are looking forward to skating in the brand new Skating Palace 'Iceberg' and to feeling the pre-Olympic spirit," said Jan Dijkema, Vice President of the International Skating Union.

Russia Reveals Medal Target

Russia set a provisional target of 15 golds at the Sochi 2014 Winter Games on Monday, with the country's Olympic chief Alexander Zhukov saying that should be enough to finish atop the medal table.

The traditional winter sports powerhouse is looking to overturn a spectacular failure at Vancouver 2010, where Russia finished sixth in the medal table with just three golds - a historic low.

"It is possible to perform well and take first place in the team table at the Sochi Olympics," said Zhukov.

"At the Games about 15 golds will be needed, that should be enough."

Zhukov said he was hoping to see a growth in potential medal winners rise from about 40 last season to 60 or 70 this season.

"Then we can count on 40 to 45 medals in total and 14 to 15 gold," he said.

Russian sports officials are to meet in the spring to set a final target based on the performances of its athletes in competition this season.

Russia has topped the medals table once at the Winter Olympics, in 1994 in Lillehammer, when the country's athletes won 11 gold, eight silver and four bronze medals to bump Norway into second place. (RIA Novosti)

Mayor Promises "Safe" Games, "Exciting"

Sochi Mayor Anatoly Pakhomov was in Moscow on Friday, giving an update on the city’s plans for the 2014 Olympics.

Pakhomov said the Feb. 7 one-year-to-go countdown event would be exciting.

"You're asking whether it's a lot or a little? I'm saying it's exciting. But I have to say that in the four years we've been actively getting ready for the Games, we have done a real lot."

He added: "I'd like to convince you, as a mayor, answering your questions, I will tell you for sure - all the guests will be safe. The unprecedented security measures that have been taken and will be taken."

Written by Ed Hula III.

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