2013 WU Update:Technical Chairs Meet in Maribor

 CTI Meeting in Maribor

Milan Augustin & Roger RothMARIBOR – From October 7^th to 8^th, the FISU Technical Chairs for the Winter Universiade sports are meeting in Maribor, Slovenia, the host city of the 26^th Winter Universiade in 2013. The sports technicians are lodged in the Habakuk Hotel, which will serve as the FISU Family Hotel during the Universiade. Strategically located at the foot of the Pohorje Mountain Range, which is famous for its ‘Golden Fox’ women’s alpine ski cup which was organized for the 46^th time this year, the Hotel will be the main FISU ‘nerve center’ during the Games where also the FISU secretariat will be hosted.

‘It is a good moment to be here without the stress of the competitions surrounding us’, CTI Chair Roger Roth said to his technical chairs. ‘We meet a year earlier as usual, which gives the OC and us the opportunity to even better prepare our Games.’

After the restricted meeting with his CTIs, Mr. Roth invited the OC delegates to join the meeting while he presented his chairs to them. Mr. Tone Vogrinec, President of the Organizing Committee – and an alpine ski legend in his country – and Mr. Otmar Kugovnik welcomed the FISU Sport delegates and wished them a fruitful working session and venue visit with their Slovenian counterparts.

It is obvious that the OC for the 2013 Winter Universiade can rely on a wealth of experience in winter sports organisation. Maribor is a well-known stop in the Ski World Cup circuit and except for curling and short track speed skating – sports that are fairly young in Slovenia – big events have been staged in all other compulsory Winter Universiade sports.

The football stadium where the Opening Ceremony will take place

In the afternoon, the FISU Technical delegates traveled to the venues with their Slovenian counterparts to have a first inspection and impression.

The multi-sports hall ‘Lukna’A temporary ice rink for curling will be installed in the multi-functional venue Lukna, which lies adjacent to the football stadium (12,500 seating capacity) that will serve as the venue for the Opening Ceremony.

Ice Hockey will be played in the existing Ledna Dvorana Ice Arena with a 3,000 seating capacity which is the home of ice hockey club Maribor and where a number of IIHF World Championships have been hosted. Next to this arena a second permanent ice arena (1,500 seats) will be build. Two rinks will be built for Short Track and Figure Skating as well as Synchronized Skating. One permanent and one temporary. They will be erected close to the Hotel Habakuk, at the foot of the ski slopes which will be a good investment for tourism. If Slovenia wins the bid for the European basketball Championship a multi-functional venue with an 8,000 seating capacity will be built as well, which can host another temporary rink.

The snow sport CTIs visited the foreseen and potential venues as well. As far as the snow sports are concerned, the Pohorje mountain will welcome all alpine disciplines and PGS Snowboard as well. Pohorje-Arech will be a potential biathlon venue or the competition may be organized in Rogla. Snowboard and cross-country skiing activities will also take place in Rogla. Ski jumping K90 will be in Vecenje, while K120 will be in Kranj.

C. Pierre, FISU Press Officer

Tone Vogrinec

Otmar Koguvnik

Boris Ceh (Slovenian Ice Hockey Federation answers Lars Karlsson’s questions

The CTI Chairs discuss ice sport issues