Marolt: Sochi news adds to USSA's momentum

The Center of Excellence project in Park City has the United States Ski and Snowboard Association thinking ahead. That tangible target could be crucial in helping develop athletes for another tangible goal – the 2014 Olympic Winter Games.

THE CENTER OF EXCELLENCE project in Park City has the United States Ski and Snowboard Association thinking ahead. That tangible target could be crucial in helping develop athletes for another tangible goal – the 2014 Olympic Winter Games.
    Wednesday’s announcement that Sochi, Russia, will host the 2014 Games is a boost for the USSA, according to USSA President Bill Marolt. “We now have lots of momentum. We have now the idea of keeping our eye on the future. It sends the message that 2014 is out there and it’s going to be a great opportunity for us,” Marolt said Thursday.
    “We were excited yesterday. It gives us a good chance to continue to look forward and promote a part of the world most of us have never been to. … All of us are looking for ways to grow and expand our market.”
    “Russia has had great success in cross-country and ski jumping and they’re starting to look strong in freestyle and snowboarding. I’m sure the alpine program will start moving forward too.”
    The mountains reaching skyward above the Krasnaya Polyana valley are the home to Russia's primary winter resorts with massive alpine terrain. The new Rosa Khutor will have more than 5,000 feet of vertical, making it one of the biggest lift-served mountains in the world. And it's all just 30 miles from Sochi on the Black Sea.      
    “As an NGB, as an organization that’s Olympic focused, going to Russia in 2014 is good for us, it’s good for the sport,” Marolt said. “It’s always good to go to new places. And once there in Sochi, I’m confident all the infrastructure will be in place. Movement between the town, the resort and the mountains will be ideal. All venues will be new, modern venues, no matter the sport. It will offer the athletes the best chance to compete and enjoy their Olympic experience.”
    “Our understanding from people at FIS, mainly from Bernhard Russi, who has been there, is that the mountains are spectacular and beautiful, and they’ll offer him an opportunity to design courses that are on par with any resorts in the world.”
    Commenting from Guatemala City after the decision to elect Sochi, FIS President Gian Franco Kasper said, “There is great potential to have excellent Olympic Winter Games and competitions in the spectacular mountains above the city of Sochi. Since the entire development will be constructed according to the latest technical specifications, we can expect top-class facilities. However there is no time to lose, especially building up the expertise and knowledge in Russia on the organizational side of several of the FIS disciplines, notably alpine skiing, ski jumping and nordic combined.”
    FIS Secretary General, Sarah Lewis added, “We really look forward to collaborating with the Sochi Organizing Committee. During the candidacy, we have built up good relations with the team and FIS will be supporting all stages of the planning, preparation and implementation of the projects.”
    Alpine Canada Chief Athletics Office Max Gartner said, “From my perspective, the selection of Sochi is good for Canada from an alpine skiing perspective. It means that none of the bigger European alpine skiing nations will have the advantage of having the Olympic Games in their backyard.
    “On one hand, it would have been nice to have the Olympics in a city like Salzburg because of Austria’s history of hosting World Cup races, but that would have also put the Austrians in the driver’s seat with respect to training and preparation. This way it will be more even for everyone.
    “It hard to say what the quality of the venues and that sort of thing is going to be like in Sochi at this point, but I think because of that fact it’s going to be an even playing field.”
    What does the 2014 move to Russia mean for possible future North American Winter Games? Marolt said that if Chicago wins the bid for the 2016 Summer Games, the United States would likely not be in the equation for 2018, although 2022 is a strong possibility. Denver, Colorado, has expressed interest in a future bid for the Winter Games.