At night, the National Speed Skating Hall "Ice Ribbon", the only new ice competition venue in the Beijing Winter Olympics, is brilliant, and the glass tube with the appearance of the venue like a ribbon changes color, such as the Rainbow of The Road, giving people the romance of "dancing in the air"; inside the venue, carbon dioxide transcritical direct cold ice making technology not only creates the "fastest ice", but also greatly reduces energy consumption and implements the "Green Olympic Games".
On the afternoon of February 2, at the main media center of the Beijing Winter Olympics, Wu Xiaonan, director of the operation team of the National Speed Skating Hall, introduced the highlights of the "Ice Ribbon" to Chinese and foreign reporters, so that the outside world could further understand the competition venue of the speed skating project of the Beijing Winter Olympics.
The appearance is full of "Chinese style"
22 flowing glass tubes weave the outer wall of the National Speed Skating Hall, like a ribbon, from which the "ice ribbon" gets its name. On the one hand, this design symbolizes the traces of athletes gliding on the ice, and on the other hand, it is also very "Chinese style" - "silk" is a symbol of traditional Chinese culture.
"Ice Ribbon" exterior. Beijing Daily client reporter Deng Wei photographed
The Chinese romance of the "ice ribbon" is not just about appearance. Wu Xiaonan said that in addition to the two main doors of the East Gate and the West Gate, there are 24 entrances, and this number is exactly the same as the 24 solar terms in China, "Our venue operation team saw a set of 24 solar terms badges issued by the Market Development Department of the Winter Olympics Organizing Committee, so they decided to name these 24 entrances with 24 solar terms, and everyone hopes to make them an important window to show the charm of Chinese culture." ”
The "Ice Ribbon" venue team also uses carefully designed cultural derivatives to promote the charm of the venue. At the press conference on February 2, the "reflected coffee cup" brought by Wu Xiaonan surprised Chinese and foreign reporters with clever design details, the cup holder of this coffee cup was printed with an "ice ribbon" pattern on the front, and the cup appearance was designed with mirror materials, as long as the cup was placed on the cup holder, the appearance would reflect the shape of the "ice ribbon". Wu Xiaonan revealed that the characteristics of the "ice ribbon" also include many types such as tea sets, "We hope to use these products to let more people know about the 'ice ribbon'." ”
Chinese and foreign teams create the "fastest ice"
Nearly a week after the pre-competition training began, the first thing every foreign athlete did after entering the "ice ribbon" infield was not to change clothes and put on the ice, but to hold up his mobile phone to take pictures - the gradient blue infield main color, with a white as snow, flat ice surface, let everyone admire.
Interior view of the "Ice Ribbon". Beijing Daily client reporter Deng Wei photographed
Behind the beautiful ice surface is the carbon dioxide transcritical direct cold ice making technology, and the "ice ribbon" is the first Winter Olympic venue to use this technology. Wu Xiaonan said that carbon dioxide transcritical direct cold ice has three characteristics of green environmental protection, ice surface flatness and strong sustainability, "because it is direct cooling, there is no heat exchange process, so the efficiency of ice making is 20% to 30% higher than the ordinary way." In addition, the heat exchange efficiency after the game is also higher, which can provide domestic hot water to the venue and further save energy. ”
In the gliding experience, the "ice ribbon" also handed over a satisfactory answer. Wu Xiaonan said that Japan's Takagi Miho and other world celebrities have praised the ice surface after training before the game, leaving a "silky and smooth" impression, Wu Xiaonan further introduced: "We are still constantly adjusting the ice surface according to the feedback of athletes and test skaters, and strive to achieve the best state on the day when the Olympic speed skating competition begins (so that the ice surface) begins." ”
Russian athletes train inside the "ice ribbon". Photo by Deng Wei, Beijing Daily client
It is worth mentioning that behind the "fastest ice" of "ice ribbon", there is also a legendary Sino-foreign cooperation story. Wu Xiaonan said that foreign experts such as Mark, the main ice maker of the venue and the Canadian who has experience in making ice for 6 Winter Olympic Games, have contributed a lot to the "ice ribbon" ice making, "Last year, the test activities, test matches and other 3 ice making, he was the main ice maker, this time he led the team to make ice that meets the standards of the Winter Olympics with stricter standards." We have worked together for 4 years and have formed a deep friendship. He also has a lot of guidance for the young Chinese colleagues in the team, and everyone laughs and says that they hope that in the future we can also have our own 'little mark'. ”
In the future, we will build a multi-functional ice and snow center
In the passageway where the "ice ribbon" athletes enter the infield, there is a record wall of the stadium. Wu Xiaonan said that after the 2021 test match, the "ice ribbon" produced the first venue records, and the team framed and hung the transcript signed by the record creator and the referee on the wall, hoping to motivate the athletes to move towards the goal of "faster, higher and stronger". When Samaranch Jr. visited two days ago, he told me that he hoped that all the records after the Beijing Winter Olympics could be refreshed. ”
For the use of venues after the Beijing Winter Olympics, Wu Xiaonan and the "Ice Ribbon" team have long planned, "Our ice surface is all-ice ice, in addition to the current speed skating track, there are two standard ice rinks in the middle, which can hold short track speed skating, figure skating, ice hockey and other ice sports." Wu Xiaonan revealed that after the test activities in May last year, the "Ice Ribbon" tried to make ice on the full ice surface for the first time, and the full ice surface of nearly 12,000 square meters had excellent effects.
Norwegian athletes train pre-competition in the "ice ribbon". Beijing Daily client reporter Deng Wei photographed
In Wu Xiaonan's mind, the future goal of "Ice Ribbon" is to become a multi-functional urban sports complex. Here, well-designed photo spots are available for visitors to "punch in", and the infield can also be equipped with ice and snow sports equipment sales and display points, "I have always imagined a scene where the family comes to the 'ice ribbon', the son practices ice hockey, the daughter practices figure skating, and the parents pick up new ice knives for their children in the store in the stadium while waiting... Let our venue truly become a multi-functional urban sports complex. ”