ALMATY – After a day of final preparations, rehearsals and official trainings for the competing athletes, the delegates of the local Organising Committee of the 2nd World University Speed Skating Championship and FISU representatives oversaw the General Technical meeting. The International Supervision, Control and Arbitration Committee (CISCA) and the OC met all participating delegations, to discuss the last preparations of the event to be held in Almaty, Kazakhstan. The meeting was chaired by Mrs Kairis Ulp, FISU Executive Committee Member and CISCA chair for this Championship, who warmly welcomed all attendees. Mrs Ulp thanked everyone gathered for taking part in the 2nd World University Speed Skating Championship and wished everyone good luck.
The FISU Technical Delegate for the 2nd WUC Speed Skating, Mr Sergio Anesi, managed the technical side of the meeting, introducing all International Technical Officials (ITO’s) who are attending the FISU event upon appointment by the International Skating Union (ISU), world governing body for the sport.
Technical meeting
The meeting was focused on providing team leaders representing more than a hundred participants from twelve countries, with the latest update of the functional fields specifically related to the organisation and management of the event. All attendees had the opportunity to hear a wide variety of topics, from a general reviewing programme, cultural activities or ceremonies, to the areas related to overall event management, safety control, medical services and transportation, among others.
The OC president, Mr Ilya Urazakov, proceeded with further details about the ceremonies and the cultural programme, and stressed the importance of this event for the city of Almaty as it starts its official test events for the 2017 Winter Universiade. The CISCA members stressed the good preparation by the OC for this FISU competition which will be staged in the most optimal circumstances.
Official training on the Medeu Alpine ice rink
Official statistics from the FISU international control committee, overseen by Mr Dimitry Kiselev, show 12 countries represented: Belarus, Estonia, Finland, Italy, Mongolia, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Russian Federation, Sweden, Chinese Taipei and the local hosts Kazakhstan. A total of 77 athletes (40 men, 37 women) and 25 officials (23 men, 2 women) make up the official 102 registered participants. This represented an increase from the 77 participants from 11 countries that attended inaugural edition in 2012 in Zakopane (Poland).
(Source: OC 2nd WUC Speed Skating)
