LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) — The favored French candidacy to host the 2030 Winter Olympics is in talks with the Netherlands and Italy to stage speed skating races. The cross-border option was detailed on Monday by International Olympic Committee officials ahead of a visit next week to proposed venues in French Alps ski resorts and Nice, the upscale French Riviera coastal city. Nice does not have enough venues for all Olympic events on ice and the IOC now encourages hosts to avoid construction costs by finding cheaper solutions abroad. “We have several candidates with whom the French team will discuss,” the IOC executive director of the Olympic Games, Christophe Dubi, said in an online briefing. Dubi suggested France’s neighbors Italy — which will host the 2026 Winter Games in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo — and the Netherlands, a longtime power in speed skating. The Dutch team won six speed skating gold medals at the 2022 Beijing Olympics, including three for Irene Schouten. |
Up to 300mm more rain forecast for Westland before Thursday night'Highly respected' tramper still missing in Pureora Forest after two weeksChristopher Luxon defends more funding for Ruapehu ski fieldsACC admits it failed amputee over unpaid entitlementsMOTOR RACING/ Carlos Sainz wins F1 Australian GP after Verstappen retires early with engine fireIsrael scraps visit after US allows passage of Gaza ceasefire resolutionGovernment warns against travel to Gaza, Israel border regions'Large bang' forces Qantas flight down to one engineAustralia and ASEAN call for restraint in South China Sea, ceasefire in GazaAustralian farmers rip out millions of vines amid wine glut