Jeongseon Ski Sunday

Travelling. It is part of our make up. Our DNA. The desire to

experience new countries and cultures. The desire to meet people.

Find out about their world. And tell them about yours. It has been the

same for centuries and it is the same now. And when you are

confronted by a new world, for all the things which are so different,

the sites, the sounds, the smells, there is a reassuring comfort that

really we are actually quite similar.

We all want to go faster, fly higher, be stronger. To face a

challenge head on and conquer whatever man and nature confronts us

with. In two years' time that challenge

will be bigger than ever when South Korea host the next winter Olympics.

New World, same age old conundrum, racer versus the mountain. Fastest

wins. Well, to the Jeongseon ski area

South Korea. Well, to the Jeongseon ski area

the Alpine speed events in the Winter Olympics in PyeongChang. This

week it is the venue for the World Cup downhill test event, the fastest

racers in the world are here to get their first look at the place they

will be contesting for gold in 2018. And while we are here we will look

at some of the other Olympic venues to see how preparations are going

ahead of South Korea's biggest sporting event since the World Cup

in 2002. And we will reminisce about a moment which put snowboarding on

the map at the Winter Olympics. Can you believe it is ten years since

this? But first it is time for the men's downhill from Jeongseon and

it's not just the race is getting their first look at the Olympic

track, Graham Bell has been inspecting the track and it has

brought back a few memories. Of the five Olympic Games I competed in,

none of them were regular stops on the World Cup tour which is why

these test events are so important. It comes down to fighting it out

medals and everyone has a similar level of experience on the track,

maybe that is why so many of the men's downhill Abby won by surprise

winners. -- are wonderful by. This course designed by the 1972

Olympic downhill champion. We have one rule, it is 800 metres vertical.

But aside from that, you have to find the right difficulty, jumps,

turns, speed, whatever. The balance of that makes the course interesting

and good. It was a question of finding the mountain. Yes, we had a

lot of problems finding out and which was 800 vertical metres. This

was one of the only ones which was feasible. How does the course

compare to the one you won on in 1972? You are right, this could be

close to it. I forgot! When you have a course like this course inspection

is really important, the racers will get an hour and a half to study

every single lump, bump, turn and jump. There's a lie shisha and is

the key, but it is more than what it looks like, you have to imagine how

it would feel when you ski it. You will go down a section and remember

it, remember how it will be so that when you get to the bottom you have

the whole thing in your head. It all looks rather different at 80 mph

which is why there are always two training runs before the big day.

However I only get one shot at it. Beautiful view from the top of the

course. As you go out the start pretty much

get straight into a really Just have to try and get the speed

to carry on to this first jump. Setting up now for

the panorama turn. That brings you down

towards jump three. Not much imagination

in the naming of these jumps! Heading down now towards

the Blue Dragon Valley. Come over a little rise,

and you enter this gully. Bursting out of Blue

Dragon Valley and heading Can see the Magic Tree

on the left of the course. All of these turns, you have to be

so precise on your edge. Well, you really cannot afford

to make any mistakes on that course. Because it just keeps

turning all the way down. There is some massive air,

particularly on the last jump. There are quite a lot of turns, the

jumps are big but right now on the right side of big which means it is

spectacular but still safe. I am sure that they must do something

different because downhill, you must go 130, 140, 150, 160. Here when you

see the speed it is 96. The jumps are OK but the speed is not OK. It

is good to come somewhere where the sun is out. It's about time. Very

mixed reviews from the racers, what is your opinion? To be brutally

honest this is the easiest course since Sarajevo 84 that I raced when

I was 18. They could make it more difficult if the injected with water

and make it bumpier and straight the line but by making it faster they

will make it shorter and you could come in at less than a minute and a

half. I would rather have something which is short and fast under test

than what we have right now. Constructive criticism is one thing

but it will take a positive mental attitude to win rather than

negativity. You can only race what you are put up against. Christoph

likes the downhill to be steep and icy and dangerous and this is not

that. Whoever wins today how much of a boost for that be in terms of

confidence? It will help but two years is a long time in ski racing.

There are a couple of racers out who I think in two years' time will be a

threat on the course. Big vacancy at the top of the podium. It was filled

last week by his Norwegian team-mate Alexander but I am not sure this

course will suit him. I think the threat will come from the Italians

again. Always the Italians! The odds-on favourite has had bad luck

this season, a lot of weather problems but the weather is good and

he's won bought the training runs so it could be time for his luck to

turn. Time for the maiden running of the PyeongChang downhill.

COMMENTATOR: This is the first test event. Trying to

Flies miles off the second jump, winding the windows down. He has got

the red light. Winding his way down this Olympic

track. Another huge flight from the Austrian.

Nice in a dynamic position. -- aerodynamic.

He is faring well because he's got the green light.

Skiing the bottom half of the track beautifully well.

Still has the green light. But it's going to be desperately close. Can

he take the lead? He can! Able to pick up speed on the low part of the

course, cutting off the line on the right-hander as he came past magic

tree and that was the difference. Went a shorter route, took some

risks and it paid off. The overall World Cup champion in

2009, 2000 ten. Three World Cup downhill wins to his name. The last

six years ago. He's been on the podium this season. Third a couple

of weeks ago. He is going well. The right side of the clock. Nice and

tidy off the second jump. Again through the bumpy Traverse. He

is one 100th of a second inside the time of the leader. Can Switzerland

take it away from Austria? Just asked to check a little bit up

to the right-hand side. The time is still good. Not much to choose

between the top down hurlers in the world at the moment.

Still green. Going to have to be clean off the last jump. Just

outside! I think the difference was the way he took the last jump. Not

compact enough in the air and that can make the difference, those small

things can cost you hundreds of a second and that was the difference.

The youngest of the attacking the Vikings is a talented footballer.

Coming off the back of his maiden downhill win last weekend. He has

lost his ski! Loses the left, but what strength to stay on his feet.

Shaking his head but that is a heart stopping moment for the youngster.

Showing his strength and balance to stand up on one leg in perhaps the

toughest section of the course. He did not have as much weight as he

perhaps should have done on his outside ski when it came off but

binding should not be coming off like that. It is a toss-up between

doing it too tight and they don't release in a crash or having them

loose and that sometimes happens. It is part of the sport. The American

to go. Six World Cup downhill podium is to his name. Three wins, 2006,

2011 and 20 14. Had a big jump OfficeMax is bumpy

traverse and deals with it well. Lovely skiing. He is poor for and

three of a second inside the time of his rival. Lovely skiing from Nyman,

looking nice and compact. Not the quickest into Blue Dragon Valley but

the clock says he is inside the time of Striedinger. He's got every

chance to take the lead, a slight mistake before the finish but has he

done enough to overtake Striedinger? He has!

Nyman taking the lead, not the best technical skier, key can make some

turns and yet look horrendous, but what he does well is, he stays loose

and relaxed and does nothing to slow down. This course is perfect for

somebody with his skills. The first of the top skiers leaves the start

at. Already a winner on the World Cup this season in downhill. He won

the Santa Catarina Downhill and he's quick at the top. He's inside the

time of Stephen Nyman. The Frenchman skiing nicely. Gets a little untidy

off the jump, winding down the windows. Could that affect his split

at intermediate three? 54.3 is the time he missed a beat. It has not

affected him too much, two 100th of a second. Almost carrying the entire

slope and landing on the flat, Theaux. Into Blue Dragon Valley. The

next split coming as he exits. He is now outside the time by just over

one quarter of a second. Work to be done by Theaux in the closing turns.

He has lost another one tenth of a second. I don't think it's going to

be his day here in Korea. And he's outside by one quarter of a second.

Theaux just a little too hard on his edges in that right-hander after you

come past Magic Tree. The second last turn on the course. He's a good

technical skier but he likes it when the course is steeper than this. You

must be so precise on this course. Dominik Paris leaving be start hut.

He came fourth in the end. His last podium on the downhill came last

season when he came second in the last of his three downhill wins was

at Lake Louise back in 2013. He does a good job on the terms, clatters

the control gate and runs a little wide as a result. He got pushed a

little low on that bumpy traverse. He is 61 hundredths of a second

wrong side of a clock, still a possibility for Paris but there is

work to be done. Into this icy chute they call Bessemer Micro. He hasn't

-- they call Blue Dragon Valley. He hasn't enjoyed the bottom part of

this downhill track. He's got a bit of time back, will it be enough? Can

Dominik Paris take it away from my Mum! Pick-up! Excellent skiing! .

You can he take it away from Nyman? That was excellent skiing, difficult

to say where he picked it up, he's very loose and relaxed, and in this

turns after the Magic Tree he was able to gain a little extra speed

and carry that to the line. In the start-up is the Olympic

champion, you've got to feel for his team-mate, even with the champion

outcome he still gets beaten. Jansrud's home form has been dodgy

but don't write him off, he's looking to put down a marker on this

new slope. The Norwegian, Jansrud, leaving the start hut. Last year's

downhill champion coming he has five downhill wins to his name, the last

game in America at the end of last season. Two podiums this season and

he's quick at the top, Jansrud. Set the fastest times in training. The

quickest was 1.41.1 eight. Anything near that and he'll have a chance of

the first victory of the season. Lovely off the jump, so compact. He

hasn't had the best of luck in the last couple of downhills. He got

done by the weather, and then there snow came to slow down the track and

another time he had to wait while his friend was picked out of the

nets. He hasn't been on top form but here in Korea he seems to have got

his mojo back. The clock in join his skiing. Paris's time, Jansrud is

just inside the time of the Italian. Could this be yet another Norwegian

victory on the men's World Cup? They have dominated the World Cup this

year, Norway. And Jansrud is looking good to set the fastest time. Oh,

yes! 0.2 of a second inside. Great skiing from Jansrud. He pretty much

put his sticks under his arms and held on all the way through these

technical turns, he was tucking and yet still very clean and relaxed.

Brilliant in the air and through the turns. That will be a tough time to

beat. The Italian is a veteran yet puts down his success to getting

married. Peter Phil is the next to leave the start hut.

His second World Cup downhill win, his first was at Lake Louise back in

November 2000 and eight. A big-time gap. -- in November 20 08. He was

second in the first downhill of this season in Lake Louise but he isn't

enjoying race day here in Korea. He said the second-fastest time in

training, and he is going to have to go faster than that to overtake

Jansrud. 0.79, surely that is too much for Peter Fill to claw back on

the bottom half of this Olympic downhill track?

The speed gun is kind to him going into Blue Dragon Valley. You can see

the green light. What does it do to his time? Not a great deal because

he is still three quarters of a second off the pace of Jansrud.

1.31.6, the last time check we have before the finish. And Fill winds

down the windows of the last jump. It won't be his day.

Peter Fill not happy with fourth place. That shows how well he's

skiing. He just didn't get the speed going from the start and did not

carry the speed from the steep section down to the lower, flat

parts of the course. This was lightning bolt is back from injury

and has been on the podium twice in recent weeks. He won the test event

before the Sochi Olympics four years ago, could lightning strike twice?

Feuz from Switzerland is next. Only his fourth downhill in the World Cup

this year. He comes back from injury although he has been pretty

impressive. He was 11th in Wengen. He has had three World Cup wins in

his career, the last one was at such a before the last Winter Olympics.

But the last one was at Sochi. He won't want his time to grow if he

can help it. Celebrating his birthday next Friday, can he give

himself an early birthday present and find a podium finish in Korea?

Probably not because 0.82 is a massive gap and Feuz has got a lot

of work to do on the bottom half of this downhill track if he is to

claw-back that time. Not bad into the Blue Dragon Valley. And he's

clawed a little bit of time back on Jansrud but still a lot of work for

the Swiss racer to do. 1.31.6, at the last time check, now the gap is

0.4 nine. Can Feuz find speed on the last pitch to make the podium? He

can't. He goes fifth. An interesting jump from Feuz, slightly twisting in

the air, you didn't panic and still had his hands tucked behind his

knees. It was slightly sideways on as he landed and then straight on

his edges and into the turn, great skiing. Jansrud takes his first

downhill cup win of the season. Season best finishes also for Paris

and Nyman. Norway keep winning! Amazing.

It's good to keep the Norwegian tradition and get another win. What

must you do to be fast on the course? It's of course you must be

clever on. There's a lot of to rain and you have to know what direction

you are going in, you have to be really loose and clean on the edge.

But you can be dynamic and generate speed which is nice because it is

super responsive, clean snow. How are you enjoying Korea? It's a lot

of fun, actually. It exceeds my expectations. People have been super

nice to me. I went into town the other day, me, and another guy who

is taller than me and it was kind of funny with small doors, we towered

over everyone! Just kind of learning the ways, exploring the markets and

the food. It's pretty fun. Norway have never won and Olympic men's

downhill, is it too early to write Norway on the gold medal? I think

it's too early. It is two years, a lot can happen. I would rather have

this funny bad run through so I'm happy with today. And rather have

this than a bad run through. Thank you. A dominant victory in the

women's downhill yesterday. The World Cup leader Lindsay Yvonne won.

To watch the race in full Ski Sunday Extra is on at the BBC I player now.

Billie Morgan of Britain took an excellent fifth in Innsbruck with

his final jump. His Canadian rival took the win. At the aerial skiing

World Cup in Deer Valley University of Bath student Lloyd Wallace

produced two personal bests and finished seventh. And Italy's

Christian Britain won the 1500 metres at the World Cup event in

Dresden. -- Italy's Christie of Britain.

We thought we would take a look around and see how the other venues

are shaping up. Welcome to the PyeongChang official

venue tour. We are going to the venue for all be extreme sports. The

freestyle venue, come on. First impressions this is a very good

venue, you have the slopes up here which will be converted just as they

were in Russia into the ski cross and snowboard cross track then you

have got next door, and the half pipe, they all share the same finish

area so you get a lovely amphitheatre which will be a great

atmosphere. But all of this snow is artificial. They are making hundreds

of tonnes of it and the size of this in front of us, it looks promising.

Fingers crossed they can make some good snow for the half pipe. That

will be key to the legacy because in Canada and Russia they wear low

quality half pipes. This is probably where we will have our best shot at

a medal, where all it's most likely come from? Billie Morgan in

slopestyle. Katie Ormerod is rarely starting to hit her stride. So much

strength in the British freestyle team, it is really exciting.

We visited Vancouver and Russia in the build-up to the games they are

and it is the same for every host city, a vast amount of

infrastructure needs to be built. Roads, tunnels and bridges. When you

see the work like this you realise how much there is to be done in

solid full-time. -- in so little time. A new event for 2018 is the

snowboard big air but they have not put it with the other events in

Gangneung, they have put it that the ski jump venue. They will use the

landing held for the Enron. -- in run. Billie Morgan was the first

person to land a quadruple Cork rotation last year and with that in

his arsenal he is a definite contender for an Olympic medal here

in 2018. At the sliding Centre is an event Britain excels, since its

reintroduction in 2002 Britain has won a medal in each of the skeleton

events. All eyes will be on Lizzie Arnold to see if she can become the

first person to claim back-to-back Olympic titles. Other new venues are

the spur need skating oval and a short track and bigger skating

arena. Ice-skating is big business in South Korea.

The weight of expectation on the successors will be competing in this

arena and will be huge. The majority of the host nations Olympic medals

have come in short track speed skating so we can expect a great

atmosphere. Hoping to spoil the party and make up for her trouble

disappointment in 2014 will be Elise Christie who just became overall

European short track speed skating champion. From the station to series

about a five-minute drive and here to hear is about ten minutes. Time

to show you one more venue, or at least pointed out, the Carling

Centre is tucked away behind this football stadium -- curling centre.

Plans are well underway but there was no mention on the tour of the

environmental costs to the local area. Conservationists have said

over 78 Hector 's of ancient forest was destroyed by the organisers have

said they will plant more than a thousand trees. But the big question

has to be Will there be an appetite for winter sport after the Olympics

in a country which all Morrissey 's 37 centimetres of natural snow each

winter? -- which only receives 37 centimetres. We have witnessed a lot

of youngsters enjoying skiing and snowboarding. But the question is

can it be as good as Calgary? Only time will tell. It is two years away

but I'm already looking forward to PyeongChang 2018. The Winter

Olympics are such a big event and the medals are so valuable because

they are only available every four years. The winners are immortalised

in history and the losers generally forgotten. But that is not always

the case. We looked back at a game changing moment which happened ten

years ago into them -- in Turin. Two of the most anticipated Olympic

disciplines and for good reason as the ruthless and often chaotic

battle for gold always proves. But it hasn't always been that way. Ten

years ago at the 2006 games in Turin boardercross was a brand-new Olympic

sport. Nobody knew what to expect and for some including the head of

skiing 's governing body it was considered a joke. Over the double

down, into the toilet bowl. But it had been around for a while, part of

the X games since 1997. But it was not taken that seriously, it was the

first time I had worked for the BBC and I was aware of just how

different I was and the sports I was covering where. I wanted to do them

justice, I was determined to see them succeed at the games. People

started to take notice, how could you not? Boardercross was simple and

spectacular. What a race! In the build-up to the women's final I

thought it was a one horse race, I had mentally given away the gold

already, the clear favourite who had won the X games three times in a row

and demolished every race in the build-up to the final. I thought it

was a race for solver. I was right, kind of. But my fears of it being a

dull race could not be more around -- race for silver. -- could not be

more wrong. Going to struggle to get the speed,

looking very sure now to make it one, two, three for America. Going

straight through the fence! Seemingly uncatchable as she comes

through! This is a lap of honour! Drama! She is down! This is

incredible! I can understand if you thought I

was over the top in my commentary but you cannot prepare rehearse for

a moment like that. I simply couldn't believe what I was seeing.

She has thrown a gold medal away in the last hundred metres. It's not an

overstatement to say that final change things for the freestyle

disciplines. It was played over and over again and boardercross's

success meant the Olympic family of freestyle discipline group. 2010 saw

the introduction of ski cross and I think everyone remembers it impact.

Then in 2014 we got slopestyle which gave Britain its first medal on

snow. And now in 2018 we have the introduction of snowboarding big

air. Across that span we have seen is now boarding go from something

which was culturally on the margins, and niche, underground sport to

something which is now mainstream in the extreme. For some this has come

at the price of the sport 's identity but on the plus side there

are millions of people who have taken up free skiing and

snowboarding who would not have discovered them otherwise were it

not for the Olympics. You would be forgiving thinking that would be the

end of her career, how do you come back from a disappointment like

that? She did, she won the X games again, her third in a row and won

the World Championships last year. But there is still a gaping hole in

what is an otherwise glittering CV, even if she comes to PyeongChang and

wins which seems likely, she will always be the girl who threw away an

Olympic gold. Before we go it is time for ski

social and we will kick off with some of your videos. We have got

lots of clips from different types of terrain.

We have seen the youth coming to the fore. Barney aged just two.

Jim and John, veteran is at the grand old age of seven. But watch

out parents, these cute kids turn into grumpy teenagers. Oh my god, I

hate you. I hated my brother as well. That is because he always beat

you. We have had some questions, particularly about how this jump

should have been landed. Wait forward! Lastly, what is meant when

the ski instructor says Bend your ankles. What you try to do is flex

board into the front of your books, I think about having a great town

near you want to crush. Or think about it as using the joint between

your foot and leg. Another question with the push on powder should he be

ditching his day to day right? Retro boards are nostalgic, powder boards

have their place but for ago capabilities. Great for building a

clever but not as a daily ride. Amy wants to know how Slaven scares can

get their hands down on the snow when the arm aching turns. They have

got such angular movement in their hips that they are down like this.

That gives them extra balance. Finally we have had an engagement on

the slopes. Tom popping the question to Andrea. I like how she was still

strapped into her snowboard. Quick getaway? Keep sending in your photos

videos and questions. And fortunately that's all we have time

for but we will be back in Europe next week for the women's downhill.

The quest to topple the dominant racer of the World Cup tour, the

ground-breaking record setting all-time great Lindsay Vonn.

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