2011 WU update: CSU Meeting in Erzurum

From left to right: Marian Dymalski, Oleg Matytsin, CSU Members, Leonz Eder, CSU vice-Chair, Kairis Ulp, CSU Chair and Bekir Korkmaz, General Coordinator of the Erzurum 2011 Winter Universiade

Winter Universiade Supervision Committee Meeting

We’re just a few months from the Opening Ceremony of the 25th Winter Universiade to be held in Erzurum, Turkey from 27 January to 6 February, 2011 and the Organizing Committee is on the last lap in preparing for the Games.

That’s why a meeting of the Winter Universiade Supervision Committee (CSU) was scheduled these days prior and during the Heads of Delegation Meeting.

It was very important for all the members of the CSU to be informed about all aspects of the Erzurum Universiade Organization. And indeed the Erzurum OC took this opportunity to present department by department very detailed reports.

After a brief welcoming message of Mrs Kairis Ulp, CSU Chair, Mr Bekir Korkmaz, General Coordinator of the 2011 Erzurum Winter Universiade took the floor and made a presentation related to 6 important areas: the OC structure, Finances, the Games Coordination, Technical Sport Management and Coordination, International Relations and Venues Constructions. After this general report the CSU members could share their experience with several specific OC departments. Transportation, Human Resources, Visa Procedures, Ceremonies and Cultural Events, Accommodation and Catering Plan, the Information Exchange between OC and FISU, and finally Information provided to the HOD during the Event, were among the topics.

To close this first session of the CSU meeting, Mrs Kairis Ulp thanked all the people involved and underlined the fact that all the CSU members felt very confident with the preparation progress: “I’m sure that we will have one of our best Winter Universiades here in Erzurum”.

The visit of the heads of delegations will be the next major rendezvous scheduled in Erzurum for the end of this week. The Organizing Committee is actively preparing for this event. All heads of delegations will have a chance to discover the sports infrastructures and the accommodations for the 25th Winter Universiade. The visit will last two days and it will provide the Organizing Committee with an excellent opportunity to show the delegates what their trip to Turkey will be like during the games. Many of them should be making the trip since more than 50 countries have announced their intention to take part in the Universiade.

The groups for ice hockey, curling and synchronized skating will be drawn in the last meeting, at the end of the two-day visit. These draws are watched very closely since a growing number of countries are lined up for our team competitions.

(text and pictures by Yvan Dufour)

Milan Augustin, FISU Director for Winter Universiades (right) and Bob Philip, CTI Winter vice-Chair, during the “question and answer” session at the CSU meeting

Murat Akin, Chair of Accomodation Commission(left), Nurbanu Yazici, assistant of Deputy Mayor of the Athletes’ Village and Yhaya Pasinlioglu (right) Mayor of the Athletes’ Village, presenting the final accommodation plan