When Annecy was included in the list of Candidate Cities for the 2018 Winter Olympic Games on June 22, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) commented that the arrangement of the competition venues as part of its bid was excessively dispersed.
Annecy 2018 has issued a media release saying that it is now targeting a new concept that takes in Annecy and Chamonix – Mont-Blanc valley.
Edgar Grospiron, CEO of Annecy 2018 said, “we clearly heard the IOC’s message in the report published on June 22. With the relevant elected officials we’re therefore making intense efforts to adjust our concept and to optimize its compactness”.
Annecy 2018 now says all of the competitions will take place in Annecy and Chamonix Mont-Blanc valley, two sites less than an hour away from one another and directly connected by the Games train and the motorway.
It is proposed that Annecy will host the skating and curling events, as well as the biathlon, cross-country skiing, ski jumping and Nordic combined, in the nearby La Clusaz and Le Grand Bornand venues.
All of the Alpine skiing competitions and the ice hockey events will be held at the foot of Mont Blanc, in the cradle of the first Winter Games in 1924.
The bobsleigh, luge and skeleton events will be held at the venue of La Plagne.
All the Paralympic Games events will still be held in Annecy.
Grospiron said, “the coming weeks will be devoted to studies and to technical review, notably as to the location of the Olympic Village. One thing is certain – this new and simplified concept will provide everyone involved in the Olympic and Paralympic Games with a unique experience at an exceptional competition venue that is filled with history. It is in this spirit that we have all now completely mobilized whilst looking ahead to the major deadline of 11 January, 2011, when we will provide our bid book to the IOC”.