Sochi Readies for First-Ever World Cup Test Event

(ATR) For the first time, the world’s best alpine ski racers will test their abilities on the future Olympic downhill course high above Sochi.

Boasting an impressive vertical drop of 1,075 meters, the 3,495-meter long twisting and turning Rosa Khutor course is home to Saturday’s FIS World Cup downhill. There are spectacular views in all directions, and racers will be challenged by four significant jumps launching them to lengthy airtime.

"They made big jumps – they can’t get any bigger than they are now," said Norway’s Aksel Lund Svindal. "Even guys who look perfect in the air – once you reach 60 meters, if you’re a little bit out of position it just gets worse and worse for you. We’re not ski jumpers."

"It’s really tough, we have everything from really hard bumps that you almost lose your vision going over because they are so hard and there are also slick spots. The first one minute and thirty is like this," said Svindal about the Rosa Khutor course.

"I’m definitely surprised that they made the downhill this difficult – they probably didn’t mean to," he said.

Four-time World Cup downhill champion Didier Cuche echoed Svindal's thoughts.

"I like the jumps, but if we go two seconds faster tomorrow, the second to last jump is going to be too long," said Cuche. "I said this at the beginning of the week, but no one listened to me."

Many of the racers also said that the downhill track has been set too much like a super-G course – too many twists and turns in the course setting, thus slowing speeds down.

"They’ve overdone it a little bit with all the turns on this hill," said Svindal. "There’s probably too many turns in there."

"The course is definitely coming along, but the top part is still really turny – too turny for a downhill, but it’s still fun," said American racer Travis Ganong.

However, like most others the general consensus has been that it's a great racehill with the potential to become even better, especially during the 2014 Olympics.

"The whole hill from top to bottom is a real downhill. It’s long. You really feel the bumps, it’s tiring and the jumps are big," said Ganong. "It’s a great venue for sure."

Cuche said the key to success Saturday will be executing at the top of the course.

"Especially the first forty-five seconds are important," said the Swiss veteran. "It’s a mix of pure ice and grippy snow and its really hard to engage and stay on your line there."

Austria’sGeorg Streitberger was the fastest in Friday’s final training run, during which racers posted times well over two minutes and ten seconds, lengthy by typical World Cup standards.

Partly sunny skies and no substantial precipitation are in the forecast for Saturday’s downhill, scheduled to begin at noon local time.

This weekend’s alpine races in Sochi will be followed by the ladies next week and are the first of four test events at the mountain venues this winter as well as the only on the World Cup level, an important step in preparation for the 2014 Games.

"The effort that they’ve put into this is apparent," said Svindal. "The Olympic Games is an opportunity to show the rest of the world what you’re capable of and make an advertisement for your country and I’m confident that the Russians will do that."

Enhanced Mountain Security

To access the future Olympic course, racers must take a series of three gondolas at the Rosa Khutor Alpine Center. Before boarding the first, they must go through metal detectors with skis, boots, and equipment in tow.

"It’s actually really weird, we usually don’t see too much security at World Cup races," said Ganong. "We have to go through a medal detector to go into the gondola and they also scan our bags. It’s like airport security. There’s definitely a security presence here that you don’t normally see at races."

Special forces units were also strategically positioned near the top of the mountain with the Georgian border nearby.

"There’s not only armed security but also legitimate special forces military," said Svindal. "It’s something I’ve never seen before but it’s probably better to be on the safe side."

IOC Visits Krasnaya Polyana

Led by 1968 triple Olympic gold medalist Jean-Claude Killy, the 7th IOC Sochi Coordination Commission will arrive Sunday to attend the men’s super combined race and also tour the nearby mountain cluster venues.

A full day of meetings is scheduled Monday to look at Games-related topics including construction, transport, workforce, accommodation, Games operations, athlete services, media services, spectators services and the Paralympic Games.

The visit concludes Tuesday as Commission members will discuss sport, marketing, medical services, legacy and technology. A closing press conference will be held following their meetings.

Reported in Sochi by Brian Pinelli

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