2011 WU Update: Test Events Snow Sports

ERZURUM – In Erzurum, host city of the 25^th Winter Universiade, EWUOC 2011 staged FIS Continental Cups as test events serving as the last preparations for the upcoming Universiade next January. Unfortunately the Snowboarding Test event had to be cancelled due to the lack of snow. The test events were witnessed by FISU Staff members Milan Augustin (SVK), Director of WU and Jiho Kim (KOR), Sports Assistant.

We are exactly 1 month away of the 2011 Winter Universiade where 58 countries already have registered and the record participation of 50 countries from Torino (ITA) in 2007 will undoubtedly be broken.

The past weekend the first ever competitions of Nordic Combined and Ski Jumping in Erzurum and in Turkey took place.

Nordic Combined

29 participants supervised by FIS Technical Delegate Karl Lustenberger (SUI) (who will also be TD for WU) had a Ski Jump on K95 at 10:00 AM followed by 10km races at 14:00 on the 1,5 km course at the provisional cross country skiing venue close to the Cemal Gursel stadium. The Cross country skiing venue for the WU will be held in the Kandilli resort (40km from Erzurum) but the current snow conditions did not allow the athletes to compete on the WU competition venue. Although a Snow making system is on site, the temperature still must go more below the zero mark to have good artificial snow. However, according to Mr. Lustenberger, a huge work has been done to provide good technical conditions for all participants.

Ski Jumping

The FIS Continental Cup ski jumping was organized under floodlights starting at 18:00 and broadcasted by Turkish TV. 52 participants from different countries really enjoyed the excellent new venue called ‘Monuments of Erzurum City’, located directly in front of the WU Athletes’ Village. The special lighting on the Jump tower and a full capacity crowd of Erzurum citizens (around 3,000) who cheered all athletes provided and excellent atmosphere for this ‘inaugural’ ski jumping competition in Erzurum. FIS TD Ueli Forrer (SUI) (also TD for WU) with colleagues Horst Tielmann and Gert Aigmueller successfully conducted this event with the local Competition and Venue mangers. ‘Generally we are satisfied’, Mr. Forrer said, ‘but to follow all FIS standards and keep a high level of the WU competition some adjustments must be properly done on the venue. EWUOC can not underestimate our recommendations because without following them we will not succeed for a 100%’.

If the snow condition allows it, a Biathlon test event will be organized on the competition venue in Kandilli.

Results                                                                                 

Ski Jumping

Nordic Combined

(Source: Milan Augustin, FISU Director for Winter Universiade)