"The world will see the best game"

The picture shows Remy Boller (center) making ice surfaces a few days ago. Courtesy of the Capital Gymnasium

Two different perceptions: one galloping, one elegant, short track speed skating and figure skating, will share a piece of ice at the Beijing Winter Olympics. In order to create a surface of ice where speed and beauty coexist at the Capital Gymnasium, Remy Bohler, a special ice expert appointed by the Beijing Winter Olympic Organizing Committee, joined chinese colleagues to build a stage for athletes from all over the world to realize their dreams.

The ice expert from France said in an interview with reporters that the story of his association with ice began in 1992. At the Albertville Winter Olympics, 16-year-old Boehler drove an ice sweeper onto the ice, "That was my first exposure to ice-making work. Boehler said. Since then, he has served many events such as the Winter Olympic Games and the World Championships, and has accumulated extensive experience in the field of ice making.

After completing the ice-making work of short track speed skating and figure skating at the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, Boller received an invitation from the Beijing Winter Olympics Organizing Committee and quickly threw himself into the work related to the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, responsible for the icemaking work of the Capital Gymnasium. "In order to present a wonderful Winter Olympics, I have worked with the Chinese team for almost 4 years." He said.

Speaking of the biggest challenge in the work, Boehler said that the Capital Gymnasium undertakes two major competitions of short track speed skating and figure skating at the Beijing Winter Olympics, and the requirements of the two competitions are completely different. "This requires us to study it carefully to ensure that the ice surface is perfect for both projects." He explained that the slightly softer ice surface is more conducive to figure skaters to make jumping movements than the brittle ice preferred by short-track speed skaters. If the athletes who are short-track speed skaters in the competition can skate extremely fast, and the figure skaters can jump high, it proves that the ice making work is successful.

Boller mentioned a detail that the ice team will adjust the ice temperature several times a day, "We will adjust the ice surface state every day, change the protective pad, debug the ice surface temperature, so that the ice surface can reach the optimal temperature every day." In order to achieve this goal, we work closely with the Chinese engineers in charge of machinery and equipment to regulate the temperature, water temperature, and refrigeration system temperature. ”

In Boehler's view, every ice maker is unique. "What's special about this work is that it's working with different teams in different venues." He said that working in Beijing was a very wonderful experience.

Completed in 1968, the Capital Gymnasium was the first modern stadium built after the founding of the People's Republic of China, and China's first artificial indoor ice rink was also born here. "Watching the changes that have taken place here bit by bit, it feels really great!" Boller said.

Talking about the cooperation with the ice-making team at the Capital Stadium, Boehler admits that it is very exciting. "In fact, all my colleagues have a great passion for ice making." He introduced that everyone came together out of love for ice sports. "It was a pleasant collaboration and everyone was in tune. When there is a problem, everyone rushes forward to actively solve it, which is very good. Boehler said.

Boehler said that his experience working at the Capital Gymnasium has given him confidence in the success of this ice and the winter Olympics. On February 4, the Capital Gymnasium ushered in the first figure skating event competition, and on the 5th, the Chinese team won the gold medal in the short track speed skating mixed team relay final, which was also the first gold medal produced by the venue. "On this ice, the whole world will see a wonderful game, there is no doubt about it." Boller said.

People's Daily ( 2022-02-07 13th edition)