Grenoble Prepares For Winter Olympics

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31086, 15 June 1966, Page 15

Grenoble Prepares For Winter Olympics

TN 1968 the Winter Olympic 1 Games are to be held at Chamrousse, near Grenoble in France, and already a flood of information on the arrangements for this venture has reached New Zealand.

Already, four full bulletins from Le Comite D’Organisation des X Jeux Olympiques D’Hiver have been received in New Zealand and a decision on New Zealand’s representation must soon be made.

New Zealand’s skl-ing standards are unlikely to be much higher in 1968 than they are now, but the major consideration which influenced New Zealand not to send a team to Portillo this vear is unlikely to apply in 1968.

Chamrousse will function during the European winter and offers only a further inducement to New Zealand’s leading skiers to compete on the winter circuit.

Thus, the cost of sending a team would be considerably less than to Chile and the experience gained would be considerably greater. Further, the winter Olympics hold a special place in international ski-ing and carry more mana for those attending than the world championships. From the point of cost, benefit and prestige, Chamrousse offers New Zealand far more than did Portillo. The New Zealand Ski Association has asked that consideration be given to sending a team, as considererable organisation will be needed before doing so. It is likely that skiers will be asked to decide some time this winter. Although Squaw Valley was supposed to have offered the last word in ski-ing facilities, there is every indication that Chamrousse will offer more.

Five courses, the women’s downhill, men’s giant slalom, men’s special slalom, women’s special slalom, women’s giant slalom, finish at the Chamrousse Recoin while the men’s downhill finishes at Casserousse. There are alternative courses for all events at Alpe-d’ Huez. The men’s downhill is the event most likely to be displaced, as at Chamrousse the course finishes at an altitude of 1412 metres and, in event of a poor season, there may he no snow at this height The alternative course ends at an altitude of 1700 metres. Chamrousse Recoin

is 1650 metres above sealevel. All the courses face west, with a northern expossure for the lower half of th* men’s downhill. Although Grenoble is an internationally famous skiing centre, the road system serving Chamrousse has been considered inadequate. A huge road-building plan will not only widen the access route, but will create a loop system allowing a one-way rotation system of vehicles. Embanking projects for the preparation of the slalom stadium and the finish of the men’s downhill have, for the most part

already been completed. In February this year the French national championships were held on these courses and were considered to have been entirely satisfactory. The Olympic runs will be directly served by one telpher, four seat lifts and three ski lifts. An Olympic village is being built and each competitor will stay at the 1000-bed Bachat-Bouland village the night before competing. The following are the details of the courses, all heights and distances given in metres. This table was produced by the organising committee.

Start Finish Vertical Drop Distance Gradients Max. Min. At. Men s Downhill ... 2252m 1412m 840m 2890m 65%:ll%:29.0% Women’s Downhill ... 2252m 1650m 602m 2160m 57%: 7%:27.8% Men’s Giant Slalom ... 2153m 1650m 503m 1680m 57%: 3%:29.9% Women’s Giant Slalom .... ... 2093m 1649m 444m 1755m 59%: 9%:25.2% Men’s Slalom ,.. 1857m 1653m 204m 625m 49%:15%:32.6% Women’s Slalom ... 1806m 1654m 152m 430nf 54%:13%:35.3%