The first medals will be won at the "Iceberg" Skating Palace in Sochi Olympic Park
The Federation Cup in figure skating will take place at the "Iceberg" Skating Palace in the Sochi Olympic Park on October, 6. The tournament will be the first competition at the arena, and the first sporting event in the Coastal Cluster, where Olympic medals will be awarded for figure skating and short track in 2014.
Russian athletes from across the country, including world championships winners Yuko Kawaguti and Alexander Smirnov and solo skater Artur Gachinski, will compete.
For Russian athletes, the Federation Cup is a unique chance to experience the Olympic arena before anyone else. It is also an opportunity for those involved in its construction to test the venue ahead of competitions. For the preparation of the ice itself, leading Russian ice makers with experience at major ice rinks around the country visited the "Iceberg" in Sochi.
Preparation of the ice actually began on 25 September, exactly 500 days before the Olympic Games. In order to control the temperature of the ice at the arena, special detectors were installed able to record any changes. The ice for figure skaters needs to be kept soft and the temperature should range from -4 to -4.5 degrees Celsius. Sensors and other automatic devices automatically control the operation of all engineering systems responsible for the ice and climate in the ice zone.
This is the second test of the ice at the "Iceberg" arena. In May 2012, a freezing test was conducted to check the cold supply systems at the venue. The ice was tested by pupils of the Sochi Winter Sports School and also by Olympic champion in ice dancing Tatyana Navka, who is a Sochi 2014 Ambassador.
Tatyana Navka commented:
"I was very pleased with both the design of the stadium and the quality of the ice. The Olympic Park really makes a lasting impression, all venues are very unusual and beautiful, and everything is so close and in a beautiful location by the sea. I haven't seen an Olympic Park like it, and I'm sure it will make a strong impression on the guests to the Sochi Olympics in 2014."
Notes to the Editor
The "Iceberg" Skating Palace is designed for the staging of competitions in figure skating and short track. The metal frame of the building, with a total weight of over 15,000 tons, is based on a strong foundation consisting of 2,280 piles. The facade of the building is made of low-emission glass, which allows the creation of an optimum microclimate inside. The "Iceberg" Skating Palace was designed and built using the latest technologies and meets all requirements of Russian and international sports federations.
In December 2012, the "Iceberg" will host the Figure Skating Grand Prix final, and in February 2013, the Short Track World Cup.