Women's Ski Jumping to Debut in Sochi
January 25, 2014
The 2014 Winter Olympics will be the first to feature women's ski jumping. The women's equivalent of the men's event will begin at the Mountain Cluster, east of Sochi, Russia, on February 11. The men's event has been part of the Winter Olympics since the first Games, in Chamonix, France, in 1924.
Russian Olympics Officials Unveil 11 New Venues
January 12, 2014
Organizers of the 2014 Winter Olympics have built from the ground up, literally. Unlike many previous cities, Sochi, a Black Sea town not far from Russia's border with Georgia, had no set of stadiums to expand. The last Winter Olympics, in Vancouver, Canada, in 2010, utilized some venues that had been around for awhile and built only two new facilities, one for curling and the other for long-track speed skating. Sochi, on the other hand, has built new.
Russia Beefs Up Security for Olympics
December 17, 2013
Russia has announced a large security operation for the Sochi Olympics, with 10,000 troops already on the ground. The troops will be in the Black Sea resort city for three months, the interior ministry said, while also saying that they would not get in the way. Russia has promised a safe Olympics and has allocated $50 billion to the security effort. The troops will wear not military uniforms but outfits similar to Olympics organizers, but of a different color.
Russia Promises Big Bonus to Olympic Medal-winners
December 8, 2013
Russian athletes who win gold medals at the Sochi Olympics will take home large cash prizes as well, the Russian Government has announced. President Vladimir Putin has approved payouts of the equivalent of $122,000 for each gold medal won, with silver medalists getting $76,000 and bronze medalists taking home $46,000.
Russian Olympics Officials Reveal Snow Stockpile
December 4, 2013
Russia has been stockpiling snow. Organizers of the 2014 Winter Olympics, in Sochi, Russia, have stored 500,000 cubic meters of snow, enough to fill 200 Olympic-sized swimming pools. The organizers envision the snow stash as a backup, in case the winter doesn't provide enough snow or the planned snowmaking machines don't deliver. Olympics officials covered the massive mound of snow with special insulated blankets, keeping the temperature cool enough to maintain the snow's consistency
