China News Service, Beijing, Dec. 10 (Yu Xiao) This afternoon, the press conference for the "2014-2015 FIS Freestyle Skiing Aerials World Cup" was held at the Bird’s Nest. Regarding the rumor that freestyle skiing aerials might be "kicked out" of the Winter Olympics, Yan Xiaojuan, head of the Skiing Department I at the Winter Sports Management Center, clarified that the International Ski Federation has never received any related information, and added that China's talent pool has long been focused on future Olympic Games.
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Attending today's press conference were Ren Hongguo, vice chairman of the Chinese Ski Association and Party committee secretary of the Winter Sports Management Center under the General Administration of Sport of China; Liu Chengliang, deputy director of the Winter Sports Management Center; Chen Jie, deputy director of the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Sports; Yan Xiaojuan, head of Skiing Department I for competitive skiing at the Winter Sports Management Center; and Li Nina, former freestyle skiing aerials athlete.
It is reported that the "2014-2015 FIS Freestyle Skiing Aerials World Cup: Ice and Snow Spectacular, Soaring at the Bird’s Nest" will take place on December 20 and 21 at the Bird’s Nest. The event is organized by the International Ski Federation, hosted by the Chinese Ski Association and the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Sports, and co-organized by Starlight Culture Group Co., Ltd. and the National Stadium Co., Ltd.
As of today, the event organizers have received registrations from approximately 50 top international freestyle skiing aerials athletes from nine countries, including Australia, Belarus, Canada, Kazakhstan, Russia, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, the United States, and host country China. In the 2014-2015 season, the FIS Freestyle Skiing Aerials World Cup consists of five stops, with the Beijing leg serving as the opening event, which holds significant meaning for all participating nations and athletes—competitors are sure to strive for a strong start to the new season.
The "FIS Freestyle Skiing Aerials World Cup" was first held at the Bird’s Nest last December. This year, the venue will host the first round of competition for the new world rankings. On December 20, individual ranking battles for men and women will determine the results of the opener; on December 21, the only team competition of the season will showcase the champions, runners-up, and third-place winners to a wide audience at the Bird’s Nest.
Since the Chinese team is currently undergoing closed training in Hailar, Heilongjiang, they were unable to attend the press conference. According to Li Nina, after the Sochi Winter Olympics, the team underwent some adjustments. For this World Cup, China has sent seven female athletes and six male athletes, including well-known names like Xu Mengtao, Jia Zongyang, and Qi Guangpu, as well as several post-1995 athletes who have achieved good rankings in international competitions.
In the newly formed team, Xu Mengtao and Kong Fanyu from the women's team can perform triple-twisting jumps, as can Jia Zongyang and Qi Guangpu from the men's team. The four new team members are also being trained towards triple-twisting jumps. Could it be that the aerials team, known for its consistent performances, is changing its strategy? In response, Yan Xiaojuan stated that since the 18th Winter Olympics in Nagano, the Chinese team has consistently adhered to a strategy of aiming for difficulty while ensuring safety. She cited the Sochi Winter Olympics as an example, where athletes from various countries reserved their most difficult moves for the final gold medal push, but the Chinese men's and women's teams narrowly missed out on gold due to difficulty levels.
Earlier rumors had it that due to the inherent dangers of freestyle skiing aerials, the event might be "kicked out" of the Winter Olympics after the 2014 Sochi Games. Today, Yan Xiaojuan clarified the situation, saying she had inquired about this with the International Ski Federation, which stated that it had never heard of such a rumor. Since Han Xiaopeng’s gold medal win, freestyle skiing aerials has been a key event for China’s medal hopes. Yan Xiaojuan believes there is no need to adjust preparation strategies based on unfounded rumors. On a personal level, she hopes the sport continues to thrive; on a national level, the national team’s talent development has long been focused on the 2018 and even 2022 Winter Olympics.
Although not facing the threat of being dropped from the Olympics, freestyle skiing aerials has certain requirements for both the difficulty and quality of maneuvers, which inevitably gives it a somewhat “elite” image. Ren Hongguo, Party committee secretary of the Winter Sports Management Center, joked that “it’s like asking someone to jump off a five-story building.” Ren admitted that promoting this sport among the general public does indeed present certain challenges, but because it is highly entertaining, it is possible to get more people to enjoy watching it—which could also spark broader enthusiasm for winter sports activities.