WORKERS REPLACED KUZMINA AT THE VYSOČINA ARÉNA AND EVERYONE IS LOOKING FOR TEMPERATURE DROP
Preparations for the World Cup event in Nové Město na Moravě are getting more intense. It is now a month and half before the event and the construction works have started at the Vysočina Arena, and the favourable weather makes it easier. On the other hand, the good weather puts wrinkles on faces of Czech coaches who hoped in snow being brought in early, allowing for trainings even before the start of first stage of the World Cup Series.
TRACKS AND THEIR SURRONDINGS ARE BUSY
Tracks of the Vysočina Aréna have been very busy until recently. In August, Summer Biathlon World Championships took place there, and the track that had been reconstructed was taken advantage of in other months, too. Vlastimil Jakeš, the director of the WC competitions in NMNM, said: “Slovakians had a two-week-long training event here. We had teams from the Ukraine, German clubs, Czech national team turned up twice, and the tracks are constantly used by domestic clubs, too”.
However, areas surrounding the vicinity of the tracks are busier in these days. Mr Jakeš explains further: “Construction of mobile stands and screens have started this week. Containers for teams and our operations are being delivered, and we are counting with roughly 70 of them. On Saturday, the works on fencing of the Vysočina Aréna will commence, as we want to prepare everything in the shortest time and best conditions possible.”
SNOW: MORE THAN ENOUGH
Good weather is great for setting up everything, but on the other hand, it is a minor problem. “Weather forecast is splendid for most people but it is not definite for us. Zdeněk Vítek called me three times asking if we truck the snow in so that his team could spend some days skiing when they will have returned from Finland. It does not seem plausible now,” Vlastimil Jakeš shrugged.
At the same time he reassured that organizers have more than enough snow stored in the depot. “We count on using the snow now stored in the depot. There is twice the volume needed to create a more economical version of the tracks. If the weather allows, though, we would like to start with producing artificial snow leastways at the stadium.”
This means that the only question is how soon it will be possible in relation to weather forecast to bring snow cannons and possibly put them in use. Jakeš said: “We hope in getting a temperature drop at the turn of November, which is when we usually start to make snow and set up the tracks so that everything is ready by December 10.”
The Biathlon World Cup event in Nové Město na Moravě will start on December 20. For the time being, only season tickets are being sold but selling of single tickets for places that will remain will start soon, too.
Karel Halberštádt
Foto: Petr Slavík
