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OCOG keeping options for alpine events open

Olympic co-ordination commission tours Whistler and likes what they see If any Olympic alpine skiing events are moved within Whistler full consultation will take place first, said a top official with the Vancouver 2010 organizing committee.

Olympic co-ordination commission tours Whistler and likes what they see

If any Olympic alpine skiing events are moved within Whistler full consultation will take place first, said a top official with the Vancouver 2010 organizing committee.

"(The Olympics) is very sport- and athlete-focused so the discussion will always be about what is the best possible situation for athletes and sport as we go forward," said John Furlong, CEO of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic organizing committee.

"As we go along with this certain elements could evolve a little more. But nothing will evolve without a broad agreement between everyone who is involved."

Furlong was in Whistler this week, along with members of the International Olympic Committee’s co-ordination commission, to look over the venues, discuss the current plans, and assess progress.

Rumours have been circulating that some in the sports associations would like to see more alpine ski events finish at Whistler Mountain’s Creekside base.

"There has been some talk of that," said Furlong.

"But we haven’t had a chance to think about any of that yet.

"When their technical people come to Whistler and they look at the broad plan who knows what will fall out of that, and if there is discussion about that then we will review it at the time and see what is the best thing to do."

Under current plans Whistler Mountain will host the men’s downhill, super-G, and combined downhill on the Dave Murray Downhill. The women’s downhill, super-G and combined downhill will take place on Franz’s.

Blackcomb Mountain will host the giant slalom, the slalom and combined slalom technical events on Cruiser.

The Paralympics will use the same venues for their events.

David Pym, who is on the board of Alpine Canada Alpin, said the discussions are occurring out of an abundance of caution to make sure every option is explored for the running of the Olympic races.

"There have been a lot of rumours floating around," said Pym who was also a FIS technical delegate at the Nagano Winter Olympics in 1998 for the IOC.

"But there is no concern over the current venues. They are all suitable and they all work. But to be prudent we always, always look for all sorts of other options that would be available to those making the decisions when these events are being run.

"You are always looking at options. Right now the game plan is exactly as it is put forward but we would be negligent if we did not look at all possibilities that we could.

"This organizing committee is not going to fall into that kind of trap. You keep learning from your experiences and we learned only too well from Nagano."

In Nagano the technical events and the speed events were in locations three hours drive apart. That left organizers very little leeway to reschedule events on different runs when difficulties such as bad weather arose.

It meant organizers had to think on their feet said Pym. In one case at Nagano organizers put the slalom portion of the downhill combined on the bottom of the downhill course after poor weather at the venue for technical events forced them to come up with an alternative.

"That was unusual and not normal and that was an ad hoc decision we made at the time," said Pym.

"You learn from that and say, ‘what if I am faced with the same circumstances again? What are my options going to be?’

"So any consideration right now of venue changes are all looking at making sure the juries in 2010 will have the maximum flexibility and will know what their options are."

Furlong said the IOC evaluation commission was comfortable with what they observed during this week’s visit.

"The feedback has been very positive," said Furlong.

The final report card on the visit was to be given yesterday, after Pique’s publication deadline had passed.

But Rene Fasel, president of the co-ordination commission, warned, "The clock is ticking.

"Even though (Whistler and Vancouver) are far advanced (they) have to be very careful about time. Time is running very, very fast.

"But we are very pleased to be here and we will have a fantastic Games in Whistler."

Furlong said his biggest concern was getting the Vancouver organizing committee team and the evaluation commission team working together as a unit.

"That is hugely important," he said.

Several commission members also travelled to the Callaghan Valley on Wednesday to "see how beautiful the place is," said Fasel.

He also noted that the commission was pleased to see work on the Sea to Sky highway.

"I was very happy," said Fasel.

Furlong felt the work on the highway sent a strong message to the International Olympic Committee.

"I think they were just impressed that we have started to deliver what we said we were going to deliver," he said before heading off on a walking tour of the village with the commission.

"The commission got to see first hand that the work is started on the highway and they also understand, I think, the sensitivity about the road and why it is important for us that the road continues to be one of the great features of the region."

Privately some members of the commission chuckled at the media’s obsession with the highway, which most regard as at least as good as many of the roads leading into alpine ski resorts in Europe.

It’s generally felt that the upgrades and the closing of the highway to all but local and Olympic traffic during the Games will more than compensate for any of the concerns of the IOC.

Said Fasel: "I have heard the road will be closed to (all but the) Olympic family and the people living there, and if they improve the road then it will be just fine."