Beijing organizers hope to not see this in 2008. (Getty)(ATR) Venues won’t be the only part of the Beijing Olympics being tested this week. Along with five sports venues, a four-day experiment meant to keep cars off the roads is underway to test whether quality and traffic improve.
The test, which ends Monday, alternates the days that cars are permitted on the streets, determined by whether the license plate is odd- or even-numbered.
Reports from Beijing say traffic volumes appear lighter. China Daily reports that as many as 300,000 more passengers rode the Metro Friday, the first day of the test, with more than 1.5 million more bus passengers.
The government hopes to remove 1.3 million cars from daily traffic during Games.
Results of the traffic test won’t be announced until it’s over.
Light Winds Bedevil Sailing Test
Qingdao is hosting its second major test for sailing through the coming week. As was the case in the 2006 test, light and capricious winds have added a degree of challenge for the 300+ sailors.
Five events were cancelled on the first day of racing.
Despite the lack of wind, the new multi-million dollar marina was praised by the IOC.
Beijing Coordination Commission Chairman Hein Verbruggen said “we have spoken to all of our stakeholders and constituents involved with this event, and without exception, we heard only extremely positive reactions about the word that has been done by Qingdao”.
Road Racing
The streets of Beijing will be taken over by more than the usual number of bikes this weekend. An international road cycling event will follow the course to be used during the Olympics next year.
Teams from 18 countries are taking part, both men and women.
The racers will start from Yongdingmen and will The start of the road race test event. (Getty)border=0> pass by a series of Beijing landmarks including the Temple of Heaven, Tiananmen Square, Yonghegong Palace, Temple of Earth Park, the Beijing Olympic Tower and the Summer Palace.
The Great Wall is included in the final leg outside the city.
Beach Volleyball: Some Traffic Glitches, Smooth Sands
The beach volleyball venue at Chaoyang Park in east Beijing played host to the FIVB Beach Volleyball Whitewater canoeing had its first test this weekend. (Getty)Women's Challenger.
Reports say traffic was a problem along the busy street that contains the entrance to the park and that volunteers may need more training.
Athletes are giving the venue a good review.
The sand has been shipped from the southern China island province of Hainan, which has a reputation for being some of the softest in the world.
Other Tests: Whitewater, Baseball, Archery, BMX, Wrestling
The test event program for August still includes six more tests, all beginning this week.
A baseball tournament at Wukesong Baseball Stadium, a new venue, takes place through August 23.
The whitewater course at the ShunYi Olympic Rowing-Canoeing Park hosts its first event this weekend.
The Good Luck Beijing 2007 International Baseball Tournament will run through August 23 at Wukesong Baseball Field.
Archery at the Olympic Green Archery Field runs from August 20 to 26.
BMX, which makes its debut in Beijing, will be held at the Laoshan Bicycle Moto Cross Venue in northern Beijing. The test event is Monday and Tuesday.
The 2007 Junior World Wrestling Championship is scheduled for August 21 to 26 at China Agricultural University Gymnasium.
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