‘Breathtaking’ Ski Jumping Venue For Beijing Olympics
18th September 2020
Last modified on May 20th, 2021
The two ski jumping hills to be used at the Beijing 2022 Winter Games are nearing completion and will be used for two World Cup events in February.
It will be the first time that China has hosted a Ski Jumping World Cup.
According to the International Ski Federation (FIS), the facility at a popular ski resort in Hebei province is ‘breathtaking’.
The hills are located between 1750 metres (start) and 1635 metres (outrun) above sea level.
In comparison the hills at the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics were at around 700 metres.
FIS has posted a photo of the site as it was a few weeks ago. The venue is due to be finished by late October.
“Both hills will be inspected by a FIS official on November 10th and 11th and, if they meet the regulations, they will be certified, which means that international competitions can be held there,” FIS says.
“As was the case already in the previous Olympic Games, only a limited number of spectators will be able to follow the events live in the stadium.
“There will be 2,624 seats and 3,376 standing room tickets, a total of 6,000 fans will see the competitions in the stadium.”
A new rail connection from Beijing has cut the journey to about an hour from more than three hours and the station is just 2km from the stadium.
The Beijing organising committee is reported to have been working closely with local authorities and the Chinese government to mitigate any negative impacts of Covid-19 on the Games.
The International Olympic Committee’s Beijing 2022 Co-ordination Commission chair, Juan Antonio Samaranch, said the planning would be implemented this winter at a number of official Test Events, including all ski and snowboard disciplines.
The 2021 Freestyle Ski & Snowboard World Championships will be held this winter in Zhangjiakou.
An on-site inspection by all seven international winter sports federations, including FIS and FIS Race Directors, is planned from 9th to 13th November.
Earlier this month more than 160 human rights groups wrote to the President of the International Olympic Committee, Thomas Bach, calling for China to be stripped of the Games.
They warned that Beijing 2022 “could even contribute to more repression” in China.
We reported the development in News In Brief on Monday 14th September.
