Slope and shine

7月28日，紧邻太子城高铁站的崇礼太子城冰雪小镇即将完工，这_096204.jpg

7月28日，张家口崇礼，工人在国家跳台滑雪中心场馆内打磨观众_096206.jpg

2021年8月3日，北京石景山区首钢老工业园区的首钢滑雪大跳_096207.jpg

A photo taken on June 30 shows the National Alpine Ski Center in Beijing's Yanqing District, one of the sites for Beijing 2022
The Taizicheng "snow town" in Chongli District of Zhangjiakou, Hebei Province, is nearing completion on July 28. The site will be a supporting venue for Beijing 2022
A worker polishes the auditorium in the National Ski Jumping Center on July 28. Its nickname Snow Ruyi stems from its curves resembling a traditional Chinese jade ornament for good luck
The 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games curling tests are held in February 2021 inside the iconic Water Cube swimming venue from the 2008 Olympics, aka the Ice Cube in 2022
Big Air Shougang is part of the urban rejuvenation project that sees the 100-year-old Shougang steel plant transformed into the Beijing 2022 headquarters

As Beijing marked its sixth anniversary of winning the bid for hosting the 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (Beijing 2022) on July 31, the Beijing 2022 organizers held a press conference to give an update on the venue construction.

A total of 39 venues will be utilized during Beijing 2022, including 12 competition venues, three training venues and 24 non-competition sites.

By the end of last year, permanent facilities for the 12 competition venues had already been completed. Most of the non-competition venues, too, have been completed now.

In order to fulfill the commitment of delivering a green Olympics, all the new indoor venues for Beijing 2022 meet related criteria and have been awarded the green building three-star design evaluation mark.

By the end of 2020, all the venues for Beijing 2022 realized 100-percent green electricity supply through wind power and photovoltaic installations, achieving 100-percent green power. Additionally, carbon dioxide ice-making technology is used in four venues. It is the first time in Winter Olympic history to use the world's most advanced, environmentally friendly and energy-efficient ice-making technology.

And thanks to a successful 2008 Games, legacies are abundant. Out of the 44 venues and facilities for Beijing 2022, 25 are recycled from existing ones.

Big Air Shougang, also known as the Crystal Shoe, is located in the Shougang Industrial Park in Beijing. Freestyle skiing and snowboarding will take to the slopes here during the Games. Once an industrial complex, the park, where the Beijing Organizing Committee's Office for the 2022 Olympics is located, has been completely transformed. The venue became the first competition venue in the history of the Winter Olympics to directly integrate the reuse of industrial heritage.

Just like the 2008 Games, Beijing 2022 strives to leave a legacy that will help fuel the passion for winter sports in the country and encourage people to adopt a healthy lifestyle.

(Text and photos by Wei Yao)

Copyedited by Elsbeth van Paridon

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