Genting Snow Park.Photo: Al Bello/Getty Images
Course designers replicated segments of the historic site, which mainly stretches through northern China, at Genting Snow Park, aiming to pair the culture reference with necessary weather-prevention features.
Speaking toReuters, Dirk Scheumann, the CEO of course designers Schneestern, said, “The main goal was a creative course that’s connected to Chinese culture, and the main challenge was to protect riders from strong westerly winds.”
“Where would you like to be in windy conditions? Behind the wall, right? That’s how the Great Wall of China design gets into the game,” said Schuemann.
The entire course is reliant on artificial snow, as the average snowfall in the area — over 100 miles from Beijing — is not enough to sustain the level required for winter sports,according to CNN.
Italian company TechnoAlpin was tapped to manufacture the snow for all four outdoor event spaces in Beijing, CNN reported, using what the International Olympic Committee has estimated will be 49 million gallons of water.
Genting Snow Park.Al Bello/Getty Images
Athletes don’t love the fake snow, regardless of the unique course features.
“It’s not quite ideal but I would say we’re all making the most of it,” Team USA snowboarder Jamie Anderson told reporters,CNN said.
To learn more about Team USA, visitTeamUSA.org. Watch the Winter Olympics, now, and the Paralympics, beginning March 4, on NBC.
source: people.com
