(ATR) Construction of the high-speed railway line linking Beijing and Zhangjiakou will begin this year according to Beijing Railway Bureau vice executive chief, Zhu Huigang.
The high-speed railway linking the Chinese capital and Zhangjiakou, the planned venue for freestyle skiing, snowboarding and Nordic events in Beijing’s bid for the 2022 Olympic Games, is scheduled to be completed in four-and-a-half years by 2019.
The line will reduce the travel time between Beijing and Zhangjiakou to just 50 minutes and will already have been in operation for more than two years by the time of the 2022 Games, if Beijing and its co-host Zhangjiakou win the right to host the event. The line is part of the national plan for development of the high-speed rail.
In addition to hosting snow sports, Zhangjiakou will also be home to a third Olympic Village, Mountain Media Center, second International Broadcast Center and hotels.
Snowboard Championships Take Flight in Yabuli
Some of the world's top up-and-coming riders, including experienced World Cup competitors, are showcasing their skills at the FIS Snowboard Junior World Championships in Yabuli, China.
The event marks the first time ever that Junior World titles will be awarded in China and the third time the event has been hosted in Asia after Vivaldi Park in Korea in 2006 and Nagano in 2009.
The twelve medal events for men and women include parallel giant slalom, parallel slalom, snowboardcross, snowboardcross team, slopestyle and halfpipe.
The championships, which began with preliminary rounds on March 6th, run through March 15.
Officials Visit Zhangjiakou
Chinese government officials show their support for Beijing 2022 by visiting the snow venues north of the city. Beijing Vice-Mayor Zhang Jiandong and Hebei Province Governor Zhang Qingwei visited the Genting Snow Park in the Zhangjiakou mountain cluster.
The two government officials mingled with teen-agers from Beijing at the snow park venue, slated to host freestyle skiing events in 2022. In their bid to win the 2022 Games, Beijing has continually emphasized the importance of engaging China’s youth and building interest in skiing and snow sports.
On the opposite end of the spectrum of Chinese youth is veteran actor and revered martial artist Jackie Chan.
The 60-year-old performer is currently in Beijing to record the Beijing 2022 song "Awakening Winter", which members of the IOC Evaluation Commission will be the first to hear during their visit to Beijing, March 24-28.
Friday marks 140 days-to-go until the 2022 Winter Games Host City election between Beijing and Almaty, Kazakhstan. The vote will take place in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia at the 128th IOC Session.
Written byBrian Pinelli
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