Luge Training and Speed Skating Test Event - Photodesk

(ATR) Test events are ongoing in the next Olympic host city.

PyeongChang 2018 is continuing its test event program, in an effort to get as much experience as possible ahead of the next Winter Games. Due to the compact winter sports schedule, PyeongChang is hosting events in cross country skiing, Nordic Combined, luge, speed skating, freestyle skiing, snowboarding, ski jumping, figure skating, and curling this month.

Around the Rings visited a luge training event and the speed skating test event during a visit to PyeongChang and Gangneung this week.

Luge held an international training week, before a World Cup event on Feb. 15-19, to allow for athletes to use the sliding center for the first time. Jeeyoun Lee, the PyeongChang 2018 Luge Sport Manager, told ATR organizers are approaching each event as a way to learn the ins and outs of running a top-tier sliding center.

"It is still a process of building the experience and knowledge," Lee said. "We are still coordinating with the teams and our workforces and I think it is going better and better."

The 2017 International Skating Union Single Distance Speed Skating World Championships served as the speed skating test event. ISU president Jan Dijkema told ATR that despite concerns about the timeline leading up to the event, the federation and athletes were happy with the championships.

"I must say right after the ice was ready this event started," Dijkema said. "The Korean Skating Union and PyeongChang 2018 have done a great job here. We are confident that we are really well prepared for the Games."

Click here to view a photodesk from the event.

Written by Aaron Bauer

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