ITALY: OLYMPIC GAMES - Competitors start to arrive in the Olympic Village for the Turin Winter Olympics

Record ID: 331977

  • Title: ITALY: OLYMPIC GAMES - Competitors start to arrive in the Olympic Village for the Turin Winter Olympics
  • Date: 8th February 2006
  • Summary: BARDONECCHIA, ITALY (FEBRUARY 6, 2006) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OLYMPIC VILLAGE AND INTERNATIONAL FLAGS IN THE STREET TORINO 2006 FLAGS OUTSIDE THE OLYMPIC VILLAGE UKRAINIAN ALPINE SKIING TEAM ARRIVING AND TAKING BOXES OUT OF CAR AUSTRALIAN TEAM MEMBER WALKING LUGGAGE CANADIAN SNOWBOARDERS COMING OUT OF THE OLYMPIC VILLAGE RUSSIAN TEAM MEMBERS WALKING OUT JAPANESE TEAM MEMBERS ARRIVING AT THE OLYMPIC VILLAGE SNOWBOARDING VENUE SEEN FROM AFAR (SOUNDBITE) (English) DOMINIQUE VALEE, CANADIAN SNOWBOARDING COMPETITOR, SAYING: "I think if there is one event that they are gonna make and they are going to make everything perfect, its the Olympics so I am not too worried (about the weather)." SNOW TECHNICIANS CHECKING THE SNOW IN HALF PIPE BUS DRIVING ON THE ROAD ITALY MILITARY HELICOPTER OPPOSITE THE SNOWBOARDERS VENUE SESTRIERE, ITALY (FEBRUARY 7, 2006) (REUTERS) OLYMPIC VILLAGE SEEN FROM THE TOP OF TOWN FLAGS TOP OF OLYMPIC VILLAGE TOWER WITH OLYMPIC SYMBOL SLOPE WITH TREES PEOPLE SITTING AND RELAXING MAN SLEEPING IN THE SUN PEOPLE IN THE CAFE (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) LOCAL JEWELLER ALFREDO SAYING: "They're still working but in my opinion its a bit like all big inaugurations: when you cut the ribbon, people have just finished working." JAPANESE TEAM MEMBER IN FRONT OF VENUE JAPANESE TEAM MEMBER LOOKING AT A MAP LOCAL WOMAN, EGLE, WALKING WITH PRAM (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) LOCAL WOMAN, EGLE SAYING: "It's a very emotional moment for everyone. We are waiting and full of trepidation." WOMAN WALKING WITH A DOG SLOPES AT VENUE
  • Embargoed: 23rd February 2006 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Italy
  • Country: Italy
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVAB6KWHF677K872A16SF8Y7IWC7
  • Story Text: International teams began trickling into Turin's mountain venues on Monday (February 6) as the clock ticks down to the start of the Turin Winter Olympics.
    Nationals from Ukraine, Australia, Japan and other countries dragged their belongings into one of the Olympic villages in the snowboarding venue of Bardonecchia.
    A strong U.S. line-up is expected to snap up the most snowboarding medals at the Turin Games but 2002 halfpipe Olympic champion Ross Powers is a notable omission after failing to qualify for the men's team.
    The Americans are favourites in halfpipe and snowboard cross, which debuts at the Bardonecchia venue to become the third Olympic snowboarding discipline, while they look less dominant in parallel giant slalom.
    The sun has been beaming down on the slopes for several days prompting concerns about the snow conditions.
    Canadian competitor Domique Valee however was convinced all would go well regardless of the weather.
    "I think if there is one event that they are gonna make and they are going to make everything perfect, its the Olympics so I am not too worried," Vallee said.
    Snow canons have been firing away every day to ready the slopes in what has been an unusually dry month.
    This is the kind of weather however which could benefit skiers such as Bode Miller who are used to racing on icy ground.
    Locals appeared pleased about the event. A Turin jeweller working in Sestriere said he thought the Winter Olympics will be good for his business.
    Although work was still ongoing in some venues he said he was confident it would all turn out all right in the end.
    "They're still working but in my opinion its a bit like all big inaugurations: when you cut the ribbon, people have just finished working," jeweller Alfredo said.
    Another lady said she was excited about the Olympics.
    "It's a very emotional moment for everyone. We are waiting and full of trepidation," a local lady, Egle, said.
    Ticket sales however have not been very uniform with some events lacking in spectators.
    Organisers said on Monday that coach loads of Italian schoolchildren will be bussed in to boost crowds at the Turin Winter Olympics.
    The children will be given cut-price tickets to help fill the stands at less popular events, president of the organising committee Valentino Castellani told a news conference.
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