PYEONGCHANG 2018: As the PyeongChang Organizing Committee for the 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Games (POCOG) approach the ‘one year to go’ Games time marker on February 9, President Hee-beom Lee met with some of the Korea-based media today to update on the progress, planning and to share the hopes and vision of PyeongChang 2018.
Preparing for Games Time
With the first test event of 2017 under their belts last weekend (Alpine Far East Cup & President Cup 2017), there are a further 21 world class competitions remaining.
The test events give the athletes the opportunity to experience some of the Games time facilities and event conditions along with the POCOG staff who are working closely with the International Federations to learn more about event execution and delivery.
It will be a bumper season of snow sports in the Gangwon province but the team is working hard and are excited about seeing the venues in full swing and hearing the excitement and atmosphere created when they come to life with spectators and attending media.
In March, PyeongChang will welcome its first IPC test event and this will coincide with the World Paralympic Day where there will be celebrations to build excitement around the Winter Paralympic Games as it nears one year to go.
Infrastructure Progress
For venue preparation specifically, the average completion rate for the six new competition venues is now above 96.3% so things are progressing well and are ahead of schedule.
For the five non-competition venues - the Olympic Plaza and the two athletes’ villages at PyeongChang and Gangneung - are also on track and they should be completed by September to allow ample time for testing and the final touches of fixtures and fittings. The others will be completed by the end of the year.
Transport is a key area of the PyeongChang preparations and will be a key element for spectators planning their Olympic experience whether they are coming from Korea or further afield.
The high speed railway that will bring you from Seoul to the slopes in well under two hours will be ready for testing this summer. The 2nd Yeongdong Express Highway that was completed last year is already making huge improvements to travel time and bringing increased numbers of people to PyeongChang by car.
The Final Countdown!
The countdown clock will begin with a launch event on Febraury 8 in Seoul.
The following day the celebrations will move to the Gangneung Hockey Centre where they will mark the launch of ticket sales and also unveil the design of the Olympic Torch.
It will be a ten-day festival across the Gangwon province as the Games hopes to create as much excitement as possible to get the country looking ahead to 2018 and taking their opportunity to plan a trip to this once in a lifetime experience that is taking place on their doorstep.
It is hoped that 70% of ticket sales will go locally and that they will welcome 30% of spectators from overseas. The National Olympic Committees of competing countries work with an authorized ticket reseller in their local market to sell tickets and these will roll out from February onwards.
New Horizons
PyeongChang 2018 is only the third Winter Games to be held in Asia and it kick-starts an Asian swing for the Olympics as it moves onto Tokyo for the summer of 2020, then to Beijing for the winter of 2022.
The world’s eyes are on Asia and the Gangwon province has the potential to put itself firmly on the map as a tourist and winter sports destination. Its proximity to Seoul is a really strong selling point making the slopes accessible to everyone.
It is hoped that the theme of New Horizons can come to life before, during and after the Games. It is hoped that this vision can engage a new generation and help them discover the world of winter sports and allow the world to discover PyeongChang.
PyeongChang Organising Committee
