PYEONGCHANG 2018: What to Expect In The Winter Olympics! @PyeongChang2018

(Copyright: The Pyeongchang Organizing Committee for the 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games)

See the transformation of PyeongChang into a winter sports hub in East Asia through the Winter Games!

The PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympics will be the first winter games in Korea held in Pyeongchang, Gangneung, and Jeongseon from February 9 to 25, 2018, while the Paralympic Games will be held from March 9 to 18.

It will be the second Olympics to be hosted in Korea, 30 years after the 1988 Seoul Olympic games. With over 50,000 people participating, PyeongChang 2018 will welcome athletes from over 95 countries, competing in 15 events.

The Winter Olympics include 102 events in 15 sports disciplines–Alpine Skiing, Biathlon, Cross-country Skiing, Freestyle Skiing, Nordic Combined, Ski Jumping, Snowboard, Bobsleigh, Luge, Skeleton, Curling, Figure Skating, Ice Hockey, and Speed Skating.

Here’s a photo essay of our visit to the Winter Olympic Venues…

PYEONGCHANG 2018 WINTER OLYMPICS
Pyeongchang, Gangneung, and Jeongseon
Facebook: PyeongChang2018
E-mail: info@pyeongchang2018.com
Website: www.pyeongchang2018.com

Games Period: 9-25 February 2018 (17 days)

How To Get There:
By Train
Express transit to be established from Seoul (the capital city) to PyeongChang
– Yeongdong Express Route I – Around 2 hours, 40 min from International Airport to Pyeongchang
– Yeongdong Expressway Route II – Around 2 hours, 40 min from International Airport to Gangneung
– KTX (High-Speed Train) Around 70 min from Seoul/Cheongryangri to Gangneung
– Railroads (Olympic Route)
Around 108 minutes from Incheon Airport to Gangneung
Around 93 minutes from Incheon Airport to Jinbu

 

(Copyright: The Pyeongchang Organizing Committee for the 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games)

Game Venues:
Twelve venues (seven for snow sports and five for ice sports) are located within a 30-min distance by car from Alpensia Sports Park. About USD 8,000 million was spent for the existing and new venues.

There are 15 winter sports disciplines included in the Olympic Winter Games and 6 in the Paralympics, divided into snow, ice, and sliding sports. The Games will be the first ever Olympic Winter Games with over 100 gold medals.

There will be six new events introduced to the games such as Snowboard Big Air (men, women), Speed Skating Mass Start (men, women), Curling Mixed Doubles, and Alpine Skiing Team.

 

Snow Sports (7 Disciplines)

Alpine Skiing – A sport where the skier travels down snow-covered hills on skis with fixed-heel bindings

Alpine Skiing (Giant Slalom, Slalom)
Venue: Yongpyong Alpine Centre
Athletic Facilities: 1,191m (Slalom, Giant Slalom), 538m (Snowboard Cross, Banked Slalom)
Capacity: 6,000

Alpine Skiing (Downhill, Super Giant Slalom, Combined)
Venue: Jeongseon Alpine Centre
Athletic Facilities: Race Courses L= 2,852mm (men), 2,388m (women), 2,217m (Super Giant Slalom)
Capacity: 6,500

Biathlon – A sport that combines cross-country skiing and rifle shooting. The athletes ski around a certain distance with a rifle carried on their backs. They then have to shoot targets in the designated shooting area.

Biathlon
Venue: Alpensia Biathlon Center
Athletic Facilities: Course (4km, 3.3km, 3km, 2.5km, 2km, 1.5km)/Shooting Range (82.5 x 50m)
Capacity: 7,500

Cross-country Skiing – A sport in which athletes ski along a designated course on a snow covered hill or field

Cross-country/Nordic Combines Skiing
Venue: Alpensia Cross-Country Skiing Centre
Athletic Facilities: Race Course L= 3.75km/3.3km/2.5km/2km (A,B)
Capacity: 7,500

Freestyle Skiing – An artistic ski competition performing aerial flips and spins with its free of movement and extreme characteristics

Nordic combined – A sport which brings cross-country skiing and ski jumping together

 

(Copyright: The Pyeongchang Organizing Committee for the 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games)

Ski Jumping – A form of skiing in which athletes descend a specially constructed ramp and take off with as much power as they can generate, to fly as far as possible down a steep sloped hill.

 

Ski Jumping/Nordic Combined
Venue: Alpensia Ski Jumping Centre
Athletic Facilities Race Course L= 3.75km/3.3km/2.5km/2km (A,B)
Capacity: 13,500

 

Snowboard – A sport that uses a board attached to an athlete’s feet to speed down a specially designed slope.

Snowboard/Freestyle Skiing
Venue: Bakwang Snow Park (P,C)
Athletic Facilities: 5 sides of course
Capacity: 18,000

 

Ice Sports (5 Discipline)

Curling – A sport in which two teams, each with four players, take turns sliding heavy polished granite stones on a sheet of ice towards a target area.

Venue: Alpensia Sliding Centre
Athletic Facilities: 2 sides of rink. Curling sheets (4 sheets)
Capacity: 3,500

 

(Copyright: The Pyeongchang Organizing Committee for the 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games)

Figure Skating – A sport in which skaters perform jumps, spins, and artistic performances skating on ice to music.

 

Figure Skating
Venue: Gangneung Ice Arena
Athletic Facilities: 2 sides of ice rink (60m x30m)
Capacity: 12,000

 

(Copyright: The Pyeongchang Organizing Committee for the 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games)

Ice Hockey – A sport in which two teams of skaters use sticks to shoot a vulcanized rubber puck into their opponent’s goal to score points.

 

Ice Hockey I
Venue: Gangneung Hockey Centre
Athletic Facilities: 1 side of ice rink (60m x 30m)
Capacity 10,000

Ice Hockey II
Venue Bakwang Snow Park (P,C)
Athletic Facilities: 1 side rink (60m x 30m)
Capacity: 6,000

 

(Copyright: The Pyeongchang Organizing Committee for the 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games)

Speed Skating – An ice skating sport which two competitors race each other as fast they can on a 400m oval track.

 

Sliding Sports (3 discipline)

Bobsleigh – A sport in which athletes slide down a track made of snow and ice in a seated sled that can be steered, reaching speeds of up to 135km per hour on average.

Luge – A sport in which athletes make timed runs, sliding down an ice track while lying on a sled.

Skeleton – A sport in which athletes slide down a track lying faced down on a sled, steering by using torque from their shoulders, head and legs after speeding up to 30-40km per hour on a straight course.

Bobsleigh/Skeleton/Luge
Venue: Alpensia Sliding Centre
Athletic Facilities Bobsleigh/Skeleton 1,3756.38m, Luge (men) 1,344.08m, Luge (women)/Double 1,201.82m
Capacity: 7,000

 

Get to know more about your favorite winter sports and visit the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympics Promotion Hall, located near major tourist spots like Gyeongpoho Lake, Gyeongpoho Beach, and the Gyeongpodae Pavilion.

 

This is an Olympic promotion center where visitors can see the entire Olympic processes, from the bidding to the actual hosting of the Games, and a 4D experience room.

 

Overall, visiting the venues got me excited for the Winter Olympics! I’m looking forward to the graceful figure skaters and the massive air time plus amazing tricks of the snowboarding competitors.

 

Live an Awesome Life,

ABI of Team Our Awesome Planet

Disclosure: We were media guests of the Korea Tourism Organization. I wrote this article with my biases, opinions, and insights.

P.S. Watch out for our next article for the list of attractions you can visit near the Olympic Venues.