Host City: Host City 2019 takes place in Glasgow on 26-27 November, with theme of “Innovate; Reformulate; Co-Create”, in recognition of the fact that many major events are evolving and emerging through creative partnerships. To what extent are FIS and other Winter IFs innovating, reformulating and co-creating events?

Sarah Lewis: Collaborating with other stakeholders for the FIS major events, namely the World Championships, is fundamental to utilise the respective capacities to deliver the best possible event. We aim to continually evolve and be innovative, whereby it fundamental to respect the sport and ensure its DNA remains intact.

Partnership is normal practice for major FIS events, both within the FIS disciplines as well as with other stakeholders. For example, the three Nordic disciplines of Cross-Country Skiing, Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined are staged as one Nordic Event that provides permanent action. Since the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games, Freestyle Ski and Snowboard are combined at major events and increasingly as part of the FIS World Cup series, in order to maximise the many synergies with the venues and operations.

I’m looking forward to interesting exchanges and discussions at Host City on innovating, reformulating and co-creating events where many different event stakeholders can contribute their own and shared perspectives.

Host City: The theme of SportAccord 2019 was “The Future of Big Data and Analytics”. What opportunities do you see from big data and analytics in skiing and other winter sports events?

Sarah Lewis: The main and important opportunity is to establish a direct online relationship and interaction with the 15 million online followers of the FIS disciplines, which is a key asset for the development of digital activities as well as sponsorship opportunities. Our objective at FIS is to create a digital ecosystem to serve viewers and fans, which will open up new commercial opportunities for the stakeholders.

Host City: What were your impressions of Gold Coast and Queensland as a host destination, as they consider applying to host the 2032 Summer Olympic Games?

Sarah Lewis: Just as well you specified Summer Games, as the likelihood for the Winter edition would be tricky even with a very “New Norm” concept! The Commonwealth Games in 2018 have provided an excellent basis for future Olympic Games and during SportAccord there was certainly great enthusiasm expressed from the sports leadership, political authorities and tourism.

Host City: The growth of the sports industry in China is reflected by the growing number of conventions taking place there – with World Winter Sports Expo, Host City Asia and now SportAccord taking place in Beijing. What impact do you think the upcoming 2022 Winter Olympic Games is having on the growth of winter sports in China?

Sarah Lewis: The catalyst of Beijing 2022 is already having a momentous effect on the growth of winter sports and even globally for the industry and tourism. China has a long cold winter and significant mountain regions and the country is now exploiting the potential of winter sports tourism and recreation for the benefit of the health of population, especially children, to combat the concerns about an increasingly sedentary lifestyle.

The legacy of the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games was established by the Government already at the outset with its candidacy to use the Games as a spur to develop winter sports for the general population and the economy, through developing tourism and winter sports industry.

[Source: UK Sport] UK Sport believes the range of medal possibilities for the Beijing Games currently sits between 5-12 Olympic and 7-11 Paralympic medals at the next Winter Games, which if achieved would at the very least sustain success from the PyeongChang Games this year but could also surpass those record-breaking achievements.

Based on assessed future medal potential, World Class Programme investment will be made into the three Olympic sports of Ski and Snowboard (up to £6.75 million) Skeleton (up to £7.2 million) and Curling (up to £6.35 million) and the Paralympic sport of Para Ski and Snowboard (up to £3.5 million).

In addition Short Track Speed Skating world champion Elise Christie will be offered innovative new Medal Support Plan investment given her significant and consistent world level success in the PyeongChang cycle. This investment approach has recently been directed to target medal success in the sports of Badminton, Climbing, Karate and Archery in Tokyo 2020. 

Total National Lottery and taxpayer investment across the four years to Beijing will be around £24 million, compared with the £32 million investment in the PyeongChang Cycle. This will enable support for around 70 athletes who have the potential to win medals at the next or future Games.

Investment will be able to go further due in part to a planned voluntary integration between the British Ski and Snowboard and British Para Snowsport programmes, which will create efficiencies as well as enabling cutting-edge coaching and innovation to be shared between the squads.

The funded winter sports have pledged £3.4million of co-funding into their world class programmes, with the bulk of this coming from the booming popularity and commercial success of the Ski and Snowboard sector.

The application of UK Sport’s investment principles – which prioritises sports with clear future medal potential in order to maximise inspirational returns from public investment – means that the world class programmes of Bobsleigh, Figure Skating, Wheelchair Curling and Short Track Speed Skating will be transitioned off funding with the annual opportunity to make a case for support based on world-class level results if achieved thereafter.

UK Sport is committed to ensuring that the impact of its decisions on athletes, staff and sports are carefully and sensitively managed, and will therefore be working closely with all sports that will no longer be in receipt of – or in receipt of significantly reduced – investment on an appropriate transition plan for athletes and staff. A transition fund of circa £1.5 million will be available and plans for each sport to access this will be developed in partnership with the relevant home country sports institute. For example, the transition funding could enable athletes to compete through to world championship events in February/March 2019 for which they are already training.

UK Sport CEO Liz Nicholl said: “After a record-breaking PyeongChang 2018 which saw Team GB and ParalympicsGB hit their Olympic and Paralympic medal targets of 5 and 7 respectively, today marks an important step on the path to Beijing 2022 as we target further inspirational success at the Winter Games.

“We have been working in partnership with sports for more than a year to develop their Beijing strategies and I would like to thank them all for their professionalism during this process. While UK Sport would like to be able to invest in every Olympic and Paralympic sport our role is to prioritise within agreed resources in order to protect and enhance the medal potential within the system. We believe these strategic investments will deliver medal winning success to inspire the nation once again in Beijing in 2022.

“We fully understand the huge significance of our decisions and that they will impact on the hopes and dreams of the athletes, coaches and support staff that we are unable to invest in at this time. We are committed to managing this with appropriate care and will be working closely with those affected by these decisions to help support them in their transition.”

UK Sport has currently put out to public consultation the future funding strategy of elite sport in the country, which will come into effect following the Tokyo Summer Games from April 2021 and which will apply to the 2026 winter investment cycle after Beijing. All members of the public, stakeholders and partners are encouraged to have their say at www.uksport.gov.uk

Governing bodies being funded through to Beijing 2022 will also be expected to be compliant with the Code for Sports Governance as of October 2018. UK Sport is currently also conducting an options appraisal as to where the World Class Programme for Skeleton will be housed in the Beijing cycle.

[Source: UK Sport]

1: Jiang Xiaoyu, Vice President, Beijing Olympic City Development Association

“In China, the popularity of ice and snow activities needs to be improved.

“In order to make China an ice and snow power we should not only focus on competitive events. Meanwhile we should also focus on cultivating the ice and snow culture, the popularity of ice and snow activities among the normal people. That’s the solid basis for the sustainable development of the ice and snow industry in China.

“So I really hope everyone can pay special attention to our 2022 Olympic Games but meanwhile focus on the ice and snow activities among the citizens to further spread the Olympic spirit.

“Tourism, sports, culture and health are regarded as the industries of happiness.”

2: Nasima Razmyar, Deputy Mayor, Helsinki

“Helsinki is sister city of Beijing and recently an action plan was signed between the two cities, extending the bond between the cities to include winter sports. 

“We were very honoured to have President Xi visit Finland and meet our President in April 2017. The two Presidents made the joint declaration where both sides can cooperate in several areas. I was extremely happy that both presidents promoted the exchange in winter sports and cooperation in the organisation of the Olympic Games.

“This gives a very good basis to share also the urban city development between Beijing and Helsinki to support Beijing Winter Olympics 2022. We know that you will have a great Games in China in Beijing, but we are very happy of the friendship that Helsinki and Beijing has built over the years.

“Finland is world renowned for education. clean tech and winter sport. Finland ranks first in quality of primary education and has some of the cleanest air in the world. Education and clean technology are very important when discussing winter sports.

“Most Finns learn skiing, ice hockey, skating and other forms of winter sports in their childhood.

“I moved to Finland when I was eight years old. My first touch with winter was holding snow in my hand. When holding the snow, I asked my parents why does this feel like holding diamonds in my hand? It felt so pure and so unique.

“There are also special programmes like Schools on the Move which encourage students to have more physical activity during school and support learning during activity based methods.”

3: Mattis Raustøl, Minister Counsellor, Royal Norwegian Embassy in Beijing

“We take pride in our Olympic history; it’s a strong spirit in Norway. We are the country that has the most number of gold medals in [winter] Olympic history.

“Building a winter sports culture takes devotion, it takes time. It requires a broad-based perspective; you need to focus on the top elite athletes but you also need the base and grass roots level. The Norwegian sports model is based on a very strong volunteer culture; it’s focussed on education and sport in schools.

“It also reflects the connection we have with the outdoors, and particularly with snow and ice. Norway tops the happiness index – we are top of that happiness interest. We are able to make use of the outdoors all year, and have the equipment and infrastructure to experience outdoor living.”

4: Ingunn Trosholmen, Vice Mayor of Lillehammer, Norway

“We are a very small city in a very small country, yet we have hosted two Olympic Games – one in 1994 and the Youth Olympic Games in 2016.

“One thing that was very important was that we had snow every winter. In addition, we had the technology to produce snow and the knowledge of how to store it from one season to the next.

“Another crucial thing is the narratives that they bring from one generation to the next: we are skiers.

“Lillehammer’s coat of arms consists of a skier and alongside this beautiful picture of a skier is a courageous story of skiers saving our future king in 1206. Narratives like this create identity and fosters ski culture. The saying goes like this: we are born with skis attached to our feet.

“And I know for a fact that China has also a cultural heritage in skiing, because when we were looking for a cultural heritage in the glaciers up north in our county we found wooden skis from China. So we have been exchanging ski heritage for many years now.

“The nature surrounding our history of skiing is the foundation of Lillehammer’s identity as a winter destination.”

5: Peter Hirvell, CEO, Austria AST Eis-und Solartechnik

“It’s not enough to have the technology, it’s also important to get the people in there, especially children and families.

“The Vienna Ice Rink has 600,000 visitors per year. All children in Vienna from first grade in school or final year of kindergarten are invited one day to go free of charge to go skating. They then come back at the weekend with the whole family. So out of one child we have made four to five people experience ice skating and curling.

“Even at larger schools, it is very common to have an ice rink there.

“In Europe we have a tradition of sports clubs, where in every city there will be ski clubs and skate clubs who have programmes for children and also top athletes and retired people.”

6: Takatoshi Machida, Vice Mayor of Sapporo

“We were the first Olympic Games held in Asia in 1972. The Games aimed to make Sapporo into an international city. It is precisely because of the Games that we created the city.

“We developed a subway line that went from the city centre to the athletes’ village and the stadium, and the runway was extended to turn the airport into an international airport.

“There have been a lot of changes in terms of our environment as well. Until the 1960 the snow was black with pollution. However due to the Olympic Games we began to aim for a city free of pollution.”

7: Urs Eberhard, Deputy Director, Switzerland Tourism

“There is no other experience that feels so great as gliding on snow. It’s like flying without wings.”

8: Nick Sargent, President of SnowSports Industries USA

“Winter sports more than just a passion – it’s a lifestyle and culture that sits within everyone. We want to develop this culture beyond competitive sport, into the heart and soul of the people of China and here in Beijing.”

9: Yoshinori Otsuki, International Director of Nagano-ken County Culture Department

“The prefecture of Nagano is in the centre of Japan and close to the three major cities – Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya.

“With a population about 2.1m, Nagano has the longest life expectancy for men and women in Japan and the world. For those wishing to live a long a happy retirement, by all means come to Nagano – you are welcome.

“In 1998 Nagano hosted the Winter Olympic Games. During the opening ceremony the president of the IOC Samaranch declared, you have presented to the world the best organisation in the history of the Winter Olympic Games.

“Some aspects of the legacy of the Games can be presented in financial terms. From an economical perspective, the infrastructure developments were of great benefit for Nagano. The bullet train, which opened in October 1997, shortly before the Nagano Olympics began, cut journey times from 180 minutes to as little as 80 minutes. The upgrade of the highway network progressed quickly and it is now accessible to almost all areas of Nagano within just 30 minutes

“Regarding the economic effect of the Nagano Olympics, 1.43 trillion yen was the cost of the freight train and highway network and event facilities came from public investment. This equates to roughly 10 times the prefecture’s annual public investment budget.

“But the benefits cannot all be expressed in financial terms. Our visibility has risen. Local pride and appreciation have increased and through the actions of the 32,000 volunteers present at the Olympics are volunteer culture has taken root.

“Hosting the Winter Olympic Games rapidly increased the number of people participating in winter sports in north east Asia and also developed businesses in this industry.

“The number of people participating in snow sports in Nagano reached its peak in 1998 during the Olympics at 18 million people and sharply dropped over the following years to just 40 per cent of that figure in 2013, decreasing to 7.7 million. However, in recent years this decrease has stopped and, thanks to an increase in the number of international visitors, it has begun to show signs of recovery.

“I would suggest that Beijing, Hebei prefecture, PyeongChang, Sapporo and Nagano join together to host a new international tournament – the Asian Series of Skiing and Skating.”

10: Irina Gladkikh, Winter Sports Director, IOC

“At the IOC Sport Department, we have a very good tradition of receiving others who come to talk about their experience of the Olympic Games, on and off the field of play. They talk to us about their participation in the Games and shared with us their magical moments.

“Early this year we have the honour to receive Olympic medallists from China and world legends gymnast Li Ning and Chen Yongyan. Li Ning talked to us about the pride of being chosen to carry the torch during the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in 2008. We watched a video of his performance and we all felt his emotions and excitement at this unforgettable moment. And we of course felt a pinch of insight to think what surprises the Opening Ceremony 2022 will bring to us.

“In June this year, Beijing’s commitment to support athletes was further underlined when it hosted the 8th athletes career programme forum with over 85 participants from more than 30 countries. The event was held successfully and our links with Chinese Olympic Committee got stronger.

“Beijing is also a truly unique Olympic city. In just four and half years it will become the first city to have hosted both summer and winter Olympic Games. This is very much supported by your incredible vision for 300 million people to be practicing winter sports in China. I personally find it incredible; these are amazing plans.”

This article, based on comments made at World Winter Sports Expo (WWSE) 2017 in Beijing,  first appeared in the Winter issue of Host City magazine. 

“There are two different pathways to develop sport. One is to create successful heroes – athletes like Yang Yang, who you had the honour of interviewing just now – and they will inspire youngsters, kids, the media, sponsors to create a lot of interest in the sport.

“The other way is mass participation, through activity. We are working on both solutions, both opportunities at FIS. On the one side organising competitions here in China, which will continue right through with the big progression plan to the 2022 Olympic winter games and long afterwards. This is having a great effort from the Chinese sports authorities to build up new champions to have a lot of success. That will inspire more youngsters, activity and participants.

“On the other side we have developed programmes to get into snow sports. For nearly 10 years the ‘Bring Children to the Snow’ programme has created a lot of interest in China, as well and “Snow Kids” activity and with the annual ‘Snow Day’ since 2012. And now here together with the WWSE in Beijing we will launch the ‘Get Into Snow Sport China’. This is an entrants level course designed to for people to be able to really begin being familiar with snow, learning the basics, enjoying having fun and making friends with snow sports. That’s what it’s all about.

“We are working with the Chinese Ski Association, with Beijing Sport University, with the institutions here in China and commercial partner Alisports to be able to market a course all over the country and create a lot of interest and really make it happen. So there are two ways; champions and getting kids started who have perhaps never seen snow before.

“The goal for the next generation is to have many happy and health new sports participants and, we hope, champions at future events.”

New events at Beijing 2022

“There are many opportunities to include new events. The philosophy of the IOC however is to ensure that the Games remain manageable, that there is not an over-explosion of new facilities required, so that can be many different countries and regions that are capable of hosting the Olympic Winter Games also in the future. So within the six FIS disciplines, we have an excellent blend of traditional sports and young sports and we are able to develop and adapt the disciplines and the events on the programme as society changes, as also the different opportunities – technology, skill, equipment, facilities – and this is exactly what we are doing.

“For Beijing 2022 we are looking at different opportunities. In ski jumping for example, like “friends from Biathlon”, we have a mixed team event for the ski jumping with ladies and men in one team – it’s part of the World Championships since many years. We are also proposing the inclusion of Nordic combined for ladies, which is also an activity we have within FIS, not yet at Olympic level. It will be on the programme of the Youth Olympic Games in Lausanne in 2020.

“We are looking to add to the Big Air competition for snowboards, which will be at this fantastic new venue in Shougang in Beijing. Not only snowboard but also to have Ski Big Air, like we have in the World Cup. And, on proposal of Chinese Ski Association and Chinese Olympic Committee, they will also submit a bid to have mixed team aerials.

“So there are some interesting opportunities across the difference disciplines within FIS that the IOC will be asked to evaluate and to consider if they will bring additional value to the Olympic Winter Games.”

This article, composed of statements Sarah Lewis OBE made to the press at World Winter Sports Expo in Beijing, first appeared in the Winter 2017 issue of Host City magazine

Host City: what role can China’s cities play in terms of getting citizens involved in sport?

Yang Yang: In cities, they are encouraging people to participate in sports. After Beijing won the bid, the education bureau from Beijing launched the policy encouraging every student to participate in one snow sport or ice sport. That has become a very major programme in the education system.

I live in Shanghai, so I have my skating club and I work with 26 schools. Through this programme their P.E. classes come from Monday to Friday in the morning and afternoon, at which time the club would otherwise be nearly empty. Since Beijing won the bid, that’s the way we are reaching the goal of 300 million people in China to participate.

Host City: How important is sports infrastructure in China reaching this goal?

Yang Yang: It’s very important that we need infrastructure; we need to build ice rinks, we need to build snow venues, which is on the way.

I was involved in the bidding committee. At that time, we barely found 13 rinks in Beijing, even including small ones. But now the number is going to be 72 in the next three years. I believe there will one day be more than a hundred rinks in Beijing.

Host City: And is the number of Championship events increasing in China?

As the host city of the 2022 Olympic Games we will have lots of test events, starting from 2020. Then all kind of winter sports will come to China before the Games. Of course, we also have some traditional events. For example, we have hosted the short track World Cup for 17 years in China – in Harbin and Changchun – and the last five to seven years in Shanghai. We have a Cup of China Figure Skating Grand Prix hosted every year in Beijing as well.

On top of that the new sports are also coming as well.

Host City: As an Olympic medallist, what do you think Beijing 2022 will do to develop your sport?

Yang Yang: China has so far won nine gold medals in short speed skating, but this is not enough. We hope Beijing 2022 is an opportunity to increase our standing.

Beijing 2022 is a great foundation for sports development in China that is market oriented.

This interview took place at WWSE and first appeared in the Winter 2017 edition of Host City magazine

The French port city of Marseille hosted the Red Bull Crashed Ice speed skating event on January 14 and 15, 2017.

Nüssli rose to the challenge of creating Crashed Ice race track in the middle of the city, drawing on their experience of having delivered tracks for the event in Munich and Lausanne.

The race began with four skaters on the track, which began at the terrace of the Intercontinental hotel and finished in front of the Marseille City Hall.

The aim is to compete with the other skaters with the greatest speed, and finish the extreme track with sharp turns, high vertical drops, and other hazards as quick as possible. The athletes make daredevil jumps and reach speeds of up to 80 km/h.

Nüssli was commissioned for the construction of a 340 m long ramp, which included elevation differences of up to 26 m, as well as the assembly of four lighting towers, a podium, and nine television platforms.

Assembling the structure in the middle of the city was often complicated in terms of loading and unloading, Nüssli said.

View the event Movie on Red Bull TV.

The events attract sports fans, families, partygoers, and even people who don't like winter sports at all. Cities can usher in the winter early with enormous Big Air ramps and ice tracks made of temporary structures – even at temperatures way above zero.

Building the perfect Crashed Ice track

The Olympic Park in Munich hosted the Ice Cross Downhill World Championship for the third time in January 2016. At 400m, the ice piste was the longest ever built. In addition, there was a height difference of 55m, challenging chicanes and obstacles – a real test of skill not just for the daring athletes but also for the builders of the ice channel.

Using system material, wooden ribs and planks, the NUSSLI project team built the substructure for the piste from the Olympic Mountain down to the Olympic Lake – but the track didn’t end there. 4,000 sq m of building area, the finish line, and the grandstands had to be constructed to stand in the water.

The team had already built the track in Lausanne two years ago, so they knew exactly what to pay attention to, in order to build the perfect ice channel. The most important thing for athletes – and therefore every track planner – is a track that is as smooth as possible.

To do this, the assembly team used bent wooden ribs that were cut precisely using a CNC (computer numeric control) machine, mounted on the track base, and then covered with wooden boards. This meticulous work, which was accurate to the inch, allowed the construction of a completely even run for high velocities.

A young sport with a fast-growing fan base

In winter 2001, daredevil athletes wearing ice skates raced down icy pistes in Stockholm for the very first time. Around hairpin bends, through steep passages, and over bumps, the ice skaters raced towards the finish line in groups of three or four along the run, which was up to 600 meters long.

Ever since, the event has offered the audience a great deal of action and an exciting spectacle. The athletes appear captivated by the thrill and the speed of this new type of sport, which is a combination of ice hockey, boardercross and inline downhill. The sport became so popular within such a short time that championships have been held annually since 2010.

A wintry carnival atmosphere

Events such as Crashed Ice Championships that usually offer additional entertainment programs consisting of parties and shows are very popular and attract a mixed audience. Their temporary nature also holds a certain appeal, and their location in the middle of the city allows visitors to attend without long travel times.

By bringing the magic of winter into the city, host cities can project an image of dynamism, without the need to be dedicated to a single type of event or to make long-term investments in buildings.

The first event doesn’t necessarily have to include a 400 meter ice channel. Big Air ramps for snowboarders and freeskiers are constantly being built in cities at unusual locations.

The best athletes of the snowboard and freeski scene, as well as the best BMX and FMX riders, meet up year after year at the Freestyle on the Landiwiese in Zurich,. Against the backdrop of Lake Zurich and in a location easily accessible both by public and private transportation, the freestyle event presented the biggest names for the Big Air ramp and the BMX/FMX scene. Via a lift, athletes reached the starting point at the top of the structure made of system material.

Big Air 2016 in Mönchengladbach

Big Air is a fitting name for something with a height of 35 m and a length of 77 m. NUSSLI had previously built the very same structure in Graz for the Nokia FIS World Cup on the roof of an underground parking garage, on the Erasmus Bridge in Rotterdam, in the Palau Sant Jordi arena in Barcelona, at Tempelhof Airport in Berlin, at the Kniaz Aleksander/Batenberg Square in the centre of Sofia and at Battersea Power Station in London.

However, these already impressive dimensions will be surpassed at Mönchengladbach in Germany. A 49 m high and 120 m long ski jump will be installed by NUSSLI for the event in December. 800 cubic m of snow will be necessary to prepare the Big Air ramp.

130 of the best international snow sports athletes have already confirmed their participation. This event is their ticket to qualifying for the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea. Of course, the party zone will also be a part of the event, where four DJs will be working up the crowd to a fever pitch as the athletes make their jumps and flips.