Ice quality in Vancouver raises concern among skaters

By Oh Seok-min

SEOUL, Feb. 12 (Yonhap) -- A U.S. skating coach has raised concerns that ice quality at the main skating rink in Vancouver could undermine foreign athletes competing at the Winter Olympics amid speculation that host Canada might keep it as bad as it is in an attempt to improve the country's medal chances.

Ice quality is considered one of the most important factors in skating,
especially for figure skaters. With the opening of the Olympics just around the
corner, foreign athletes and coaches have raised questions about ice quality at
the Pacific Coliseum skating rink.
"The ice at the Pacific Coliseum is far from pure, and it is covered with dust,"
said Jimmy Jang, a short-track coach of the United States. Jang, a former South
Korean national team member, said that the quality was so bad that skate blades
should be repaired or replaced after training.
Pacific Coliseum is the official venue for short track speed skating and figure
skating.
Jang said Canadian skaters are so used to the ice rinks of such conditions,
raising suspicions that the host nation might keep the current situation.
"I have been complaining about this to the organizing committee", he said.
Bad ice quality could affect South Korea's figure skating star Kim Yu-na.
"Chances are that the figure skaters are most vulnerable," Jang said.
graceoh@yna.co.kr
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