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Annecy, PyeongChang, Munich – 2018 Bid Cities At ONOC

Delegations from Annecy, PyeongChang and Munich are at the General Assembly of the Association of Oceania National Olympic Committees (ONOC) in Noumea, New Caledonia presenting their bids for the 2018 Winter Olympic Games.

Each city had fifteen minutes to present its case to ONOC.

Charles Beigbeder and Denis Masseglia, presidents of Annecy 2018 and the French National Olympic Committee, presented their concept of “authentic and responsible Games which look to the future”.

Masseglia said, “we want to use the tremendous power of the Olympic Games to forge a path towards the mountains of the 21st century. The Games will make Annecy a hub of sporting excellence for training and coaching athletes from all seven continents”.

Beigbeder said, “our city is known as the Venice of the Alps. We are blessed with a unique setting which has attracted millions of international visitors for more than a century. Annecy 2018 will use the region’s natural beauty and rich mountain legacy to organize exceptional Games”.

PyeongChang 2018 Chairman and CEO, Yang Ho Cho, led PyeongChang’s delegation. In its presentation PyeongChang highlighted how its bid would help National Olympic Committees in areas of the world, like Oceania and Asia, develop more winter sports athletes.and fans, and expand the overall winter sports industry in new markets.

Yang Ho Cho outlined the goals for the bid which are to create a new market for winter sports in Asia, home to 60 per cent of the world’s population; create an athlete-friendly Winter Games through the most compact and efficient venue layout; organize a successful Winter Games based on Korea’s experience in hosting major events and the nation’s growing passion for winter sports; and create the most modern and sustainable winter sports hub in Asia to serve athletes for generations to come.

Munich 2018’s bid was represented by DOSB President Thomas Bach, Bid Committee Chair Katarina Witt, and Bid Committee CEO Bernhard Schwank. Its presentation focused on what Munich 2018 has to offer the Olympic Movement, both in the short-and-long-term. Munich 2018 pledged to elevate the celebration of winter sports while also guaranteeing the health and sustainability of the winter sports movement for generations to come.

Schwank said during the presentation, “Germany wants to share our state-of-the-art facilities and athlete-friendly environment with every NOC in the Olympic family – winter and summer. Munich 2018 is committed to using our excellent resources to help strengthen the Olympic Movement worldwide. Munich 2018’s concept is a clear commitment to the long-term health and sustainability of winter sports from one of the world’s most successful winter sports nations”.

Meanwhile Munich 2018’s national sponsor Deutsche Bahn’s “Munich 2018 Express” had its maiden voyage Friday. The branded passenger train will travel on the Munich-Garmisch-Partenkirchen and Munich-Salzburg routes until July 6 when the 2018 Winter Olympic Games city will be elected. The train will canvass support from locals along the way.

Committees from all three bid cities will continue their international tour by taking part in SportAccord in London April 3 to 8.

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