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E-mail China.org.cn, November 26, 2024
From Nov. 29 to Dec. 1, Beijing will host two major international winter sports events: the ISU Speed Skating World Cup and the FIS Snowboard and Freestyle Ski Big Air World Cup.
Event preparations, including ice-making and snow production, have entered their final stages, according to the organizing committee.
The Beijing leg of this season's ISU Speed Skating World Cup will feature over 260 athletes from 24 countries and regions. Chinese skaters Ning Zhongyan, Gao Tingyu, and Han Mei are among those set to compete.
The ice-making process at the venue has followed the rigorous standards of the ISU competition regulations, employing the same cutting-edge techniques used during the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.
In preparation for the event, the Beijing Speed Skating Open and the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Youth Speed Skating Invitational were held at the National Speed Skating Oval from Nov. 23 to 24. This provided young athletes with the opportunity to compete in an Olympic venue and helped to test the quality of the ice.
The FIS Snowboard and Freestyle Ski Big Air World Cup is classified as a top-tier international event and serves as a qualification event for the 2026 Milan Winter Olympics. Defending champion and Beijing Winter Olympics gold medalist Su Yiming will return to the Shougang Big Air venue for the men's snowboard competition.
According to Liu Shuang, the snow production manager for the event, the venue has used crushed ice to create "ice-like snow," a technique that produces a durable snow surface. Over 7,000 cubic meters of snow has already been produced, with final snow shaping underway. Athletes are scheduled to begin pre-event training on Nov. 27.
Tang Hong, deputy director of Beijing Sports Competitions Administration and International Exchange Center, said that preparations for competition organization, venue setup, spectator services, medical support, and other areas are nearing completion. "As we approach the critical final phase, we aim to refine every detail of the event to boost the city's vitality through hosting top-tier international events," she said.
