Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Saturday attended the Alpine Skiing World Cup downhill race and presented the winners with their awards.
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Saturday attended the Alpine Skiing World Cup downhill race and presented the winners with their awards. Photo: Dmitry Medvedev presents Swiss skier Beat Feuz with his award for taking first place in the Alpine Skiing World Cup race, at the finish area of the Roza Khutor ski resort, the site of Olympic competition in 2014.
The president was in Krasnodar Territory on a working visit. Medvedev drove himself to Roza Khutor’s finish area.
The president arrived at the Roza Khutor ski resort in the morning, as the downhill race was just beginning, and went skiing himself.
The sun was shining on Saturday. The temperature was about minus 5 degrees Celsius.
"The slopes here are very good for skiing," the president said after one of his descents.
Afterward Medvedev moved over to the adjacent slope where the downhill race was taking place throughout the day on the Olympic course. Medvedev joined in with the other spectators in cheering on the race competitors, three of whom were Russian. However, none of them finished in the top 30.
Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Zhukov, Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Kozak and president of the Russian Alpine Ski and Snowboard Federation Svetlana Gladysheva also watched the race.
Correspondents from a Swiss television channel asked about these events being held in Russia. "Above all, I think that this gives a different culture, a different quality of life. And when a country takes on these kinds of events and holds the Olympics, the atmosphere changes... We are very excited about it all and are looking forward to welcoming everyone to the Olympic Games," Medvedev said. Photo: Dmitry Mededev with the president of the Russian Alpine Ski and Snowboard Federation Svetlana Gladysheva at the Alpine Skiing World Cup race, in the finish area of the Roza Khutor ski resort.
The president handed out the awards to the winners - a Swiss, a Canadian and a Frenchman.
In addition, the young athletes asked to pose for photographs with the president. Then he autographed their helmets.
