With women’s ski jumping introduced for the first time at the Winter Olympic Games there has been a rush of entries for Sochi 2014.

50 women from 18 countries will compete in Russia at next month’s test event. This is one of many important test events to be held over the coming months.

Media from around the world toured the mountain cluster of venues this week and found work continuing at pace despite heavy rain and fog. The venues are finished except for the installation of lighting systems and other external work.

During the Games ski jumping, and the alpine slalom events, will be held in the evening to catch the European prime time television audience.

At the Extreme Park the finals of snowboard half pipe, freestyle aerials and moguls will also be held at night as they were in 2010 when Australia won a record two gold and a silver medal when Torah Bright, Lydia Lassila and Dale Begg-Smith blitzed these events under lights.

Organisers have stored snow from last Winter to use at the upcoming test events. At ski jumping they have set aside seven-thousand cubic metres of what they call “hot snow”. They only require half to stage the event.

At the Alpine Centre they have already hosted the World Cup and will stage the Europa Cup before the Games begin 15 months from now. This centre has the biggest snow making system in Europe in case nature does not provide enough snow for the Olympics.

New gondolas stretch across the mountains each with the capability of moving 2500 people per hour. There is a high speed train to move more spectators and new roads up to the venues.

Sochi has relatively mild winters and organisers are confident the onset of snow will not slow their construction progress and everything will be finished on time for the Games in February 2014.

Mike Tancred in Russia
AOC