Chinese athletes to receive training in Alaska for 2022 Olympics

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Some Chinese athletes will arrive in the northwest US state of Alaska soon to take training in preparation for the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, Alaska KVTA TV channel reported Monday.

As part of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed between Alaska Pacific University (APU) and the sports authorities of Heilongjiang Province in northeast China last month, it provides the Chinese side with world class facilities and training program in snow sports.

An APU spokesperson said the details of the agreement, which involves Nordic skiing, are still being worked out, but Chinese representatives are due to arrive in Anchorage by the end of June, KVTA said.

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The TV channel said Alaskan hockey player Zoe Hickel, who plays for China's Kunlun Red Star, got the team to train in Anchorage in January, and part of her job is to help get the Chinese skaters ready for the next Olympics.

Earlier, Alaska Governor Bill Walker discussed with Chinese leaders on plans involving Chinese athletes coming to Alaska, and he suggested that some of the ice hockey training could take place in Anchorage, along with downhill skiing at Alyeska resort, the largest ski area in Alaska, about 44 kilometers away from Anchorage.

According to reports, winter sports are booming in China during the past few years thanks to Beijing and its neighboring city Zhangjiakou’s successful bid to host the next Winter Olympics.

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China has seen a 16 percent increase of skiing visits, amounting to 17.5 million in 2017-18 snow season, with thousands of tentative sites for fun-oriented snow and ice sports being building all across China, attracting millions of participants last winter.

At the same time, more relevant events are taking place in the country with NHL China game, China Cup figure skating GP, ISF snowboarding WC being hosted in China last winter.

(With input from Xinhua)