Questionable Location's For The Winter Olympics 2010 & 2014

[trickydicky]

I'm a bit of a fan of winter sports so I've been a keen observer of the Winter Olympics so far. There's been a bit of a fuss made about the weather over in Vancouver, with pretty much all the venue's seeing some rain so far and a few events being postponed. Most notable has been the very mild temps and lack of snow at Cypress Mountain ski area on the outskirts of Vancouver. It was always a risk of sorts holding the games in Vancouver and its surrounds, it being the lowest elevated and warmest of any city to hold the games so far, and even up at Whistler they had their World Cup races removed due to bad weather too often. The fact that it has fallen on an El Nino year hasn't helped I suppose and on another year they could have had perfect conditions, but you've got to wonder why they took the risk, they could have held the games pretty much anywhere else in Canada and been ok.

All this could pale into insignificance compared to where the 2014 games are, Sochi in the extreme south west of Russia on the Black Sea coast. I thought I'd see what the weather was doing there today, seen as they will be hosting the games on this week in 4 years time:

http://uk.weather.yahoo.com/russia/krasnodarskiy-kray/sochi-2086230/;_ylt=AkmPfWqj0QA2uub4AZOyjX8qZOsA

I know there are some pretty beefy Mountains nearby where it will be significantly cooler, but 20 degrees cooler?! I'm guessing they are having a mild spell in that part of the world and it must usually be a bit nippier but it shows what could happen if they are unlucky. And again you have to wonder, why take the risk? They have an enormous country which is pretty much all freezing cold in February and they chose the only place that is fairly warm (January average temp of 6C). Russia has oil and gas money coming out of its ears and they could have built a purpose built resort anywhere in the Urals, Karelia or the Altai's even. Plus, down there isn't exactly the most stable part of the world, it being right next to a disputed part of Georgia and not a million miles from Chechnya, there could be a few folk round there pretty desperate to make a point!

[AtlanticFlamethrower]

Good post.

Sochi -

Plus, down there isn't exactly the most stable part of the world, it being right next to a disputed part of Georgia and not a million miles from Chechnya, there could be a few folk round there pretty desperate to make a point!

My guess is that location has been chosen for political reasons. Stick with Russia you get the goodies.

Vancouver had a surprisingly cold winter last year, but most years is mild, wet and grey. Rather like Britain. Again, Vancouver was likely chosen for political reasons. Olympic games = investment / jobs, raised profile for tourism etc.

It's a shame because the more it's about politics the less it is about sport.

[MAF]

funnily enough we were discussing this yesterday in work. the general feeling was that Canada was just unlucky this month with the weather. but should there be a call for a few select countries to rotate ownership of the games where they can gaurantee a winter which will allow the games to go on unhindered :lol:

[Crepuscular Ray]

Try googling "Pineapple Express" for an explanation of what's gone pear-shaped this year as far as snow on the west coast of North America is concerned.

[Nick L]

Should have given it to Aviemore this year...

[trickydicky]

Try googling "Pineapple Express" for an explanation of what's gone pear-shaped this year as far as snow on the west coast of North America is concerned.

Yeah I know what the Pineapple Express is, its just why have the Winter Olympics in a city which is prone to being on the receiving end of such a thing. You don't hear of many Pineapple Express' affecting Montreal or Banff, or Pyeongchang or Salzburg either.

[johnholmes]

Well another new first for me

Pineapple Express-I have to admit I've not heard that before-neat expression for what happens as well-thanks

[Evening thunder]

I have been wondering about this as well recently.

They have an enormous country which is pretty much all freezing cold in February and they chose the only place that is fairly warm (January average temp of 6C).

That's like holding the Olympic games in Cornwall! if they didn't have higher mountains there of course.

I was going to say they should have gone to Scotland this year!

[AderynCoch]

Away from the Rockies and west coast, Canada is a predominantly flat country: if the games were held in Yellowknife or Winnipeg they'd have trouble staging ski events. For all its mildness, Vancouver at least offers close access to snowy mountain resorts: it has taken an exceptionally mild winter to cause such headaches (I heard that January there has been the warmest on record, though I can't verify this).

I suppose the other side of the Rockies would have guaranteed snow, but Calgary hosted the games in 1988 and is the only other sizeable city in touching distance of the mountains.

[trickydicky]

Away from the Rockies and west coast, Canada is a predominantly flat country: if the games were held in Yellowknife or Winnipeg they'd have trouble staging ski events. For all its mildness, Vancouver at least offers close access to snowy mountain resorts: it has taken an exceptionally mild winter to cause such headaches (I heard that January there has been the warmest on record, though I can't verify this).

I suppose the other side of the Rockies would have guaranteed snow, but Calgary hosted the games in 1988 and is the only other sizeable city in touching distance of the mountains.

I belive that when Calgary had the games they relied on man made snow due to an unfortunately timed chinook!

Surely for Russia somewhere like Ekateringburg would have been better than Sochi - next to the Urals, guaranteed snow, major airport, not near a war torn region. Who knows, maybe it would be too cold there!