Test Events Essential for PyeongChang 2018 Success

(ATR) PyeongChang 2018 president Heebeom Lee says the next Winter Olympics will become known as the "Peace Games" as Korean organizers prepare for a busy winter of test events.

"Korea will open doors to all countries, also to North Korea and the rest of the world – it will be the ‘Peace Olympics,’’ Lee told reporters at a morning news conference at the Olympic Park.

Lee noted that PyeongChang 2018 staged two test events this past winter – alpine and freestyle skiing events that the International Ski Federation deemed successful.

The POCOG leader, who assumed his role in May 2016 replacing Yang-ho Cho, advised that he has conducted productive meetings with all seven winter sports federation presidents in Rio as well as select National Olympic Committee leaders.

"We have learned a lot from Rio, also with the help of the IOC," he said of POCOG’s visit to the Games, comprised of 140 staff members.

Twenty-six more test events across seven disciplines are planned for this upcoming winter with the final two being training weeks at the Alpensia Sliding Center in November 2017.

"We already had two test events that were successful and we’ll use these as the last check point for our Games," Lee said. "Starting in November, we will have a big year of test events"

"We’re confident to say all operations are on track – they are on schedule and on target," said the Korean Olympic leader.

However, organizers faced problems with the certification of the bobsleigh and luge track in March due to technical difficulties producing sufficient ice. Invited lugers made the trip to PyeongChang, but were unable to slide.

Lee addressed a question from Around the Rings regarding the problems and timeframe for getting the track officially certified by the international federations.

"We will do our best to have pre-homologation in October," Lee said referring to the official IF certification process. "We already had a detailed discussion with the federations this past week," he said referring to the luge and bobsleigh/skeleton federations.

Lee said that snow venues in three areas will be within a 30-minute drive from the Olympic Plaza and main press center. However, at last winter’s alpine skiing test event at the Jeongseon Alpine Center, buses from Alpensia took roughly an hour to get athletes to the ski venue.

"We are now completing all the roads – they are under construction," Lee responded to ATR. "Roads that are not straight will be straight and all the roads will also be doubled in size. They will be completed by sometime this time next year. By the time of the Games, I guarantee these venues will be reached within 30 minutes."

In addition to staging test events to learn details and cooperate with the seven winter sport federations, Lee highlighted Korea’s ability to host major sporting events mentioning the 1988 Seoul Olympics, 2002 FIFA World Cup and the Asian Games.

Lee said that legacy plans are already in place for ten of the twelve competition venues. The Jeongseon Alpine Center and Gangneung Oval, where speed skating will be held, still remain in question.

Regarding the Jeongseon Alpine Center and it’s downhill course there has been some discussion that trees would be replanted on the new slopes after the February 2018 Games and the area would return to being a national recreation area.

Lee said that a summit will be held involving himself and his fellow Asian organizing committee leaders from Tokyo 2020 and Beijing 2022. The POCOG leader said discussions will take place regarding use of PyeongChang’s competition venues as sustainable training venues after the Games.

Finally, Lee noted that PyeongChang’s World Press Briefing will be conducted from Nov. 8-9.

Written by Brian Pinelliin Rio de Janeiro

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