Vancouver, Canada, 21 March, 2008 – President of the Sochi 2014 Organising Committee today expressed his admiration for Vancouver 2010 and the progress it has made, after a series of site visits and 'on location' meetings with senior officials from the Vancouver Organising Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC).

Dmitry Chernyshenko, who successfully steered Russia’s Bid to host the 2014 Winter Games, was joined on the three day best practice visit by Semen Vainshtok, the President of the Olimpstroy State Corporation, responsible for Olympic construction. Chernyshenko said:

«The progress being made by Vancouver 2010 is an inspiration for my team and I. We are extremely impressed by the discussions we have had with a range of senior VANOC executives and third parties during our visit. We were particularly keen to learn from VANOC’s experiences of planning and constructing a coastal and a mountain venue cluster, which is central to the Sochi 2014 Winter Games concept. «We leave Vancouver with enhanced knowledge and additional inspiration to ensure Sochi 2014 is the catalyst for one of the greatest sporting, social and environmental legacies in Winter Games history for the benefit of Sochi residents, Russia and the entire Olympic Movement.»

Sochi 2014’s visit to Vancouver saw them discuss a full spectrum of topics essential to successfully host the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, from venue management through to environmental monitoring and legacy.

On 18 and 19 March, the Sochi 2014 delegation visited the mountain and coastal venue clusters, including the Whistler Olympic Park and Vancouver Athletes Village. The Sochi delegation met John Furlong (CEO of VANOC), Jean-Luc Baron (General Director), David Guscott (EVP Celebrations & Partnership), Geoff Freer (VP Venue Constructions), Dan Doyle (EVP Venue Constructions), as well as Mark Cutler (Director for Olympic village Development) and Denis Hainault (Director for Ice Sports) and other senior VANOC managers.

On 20 March, meetings were held with Andrew Platten (VP Technical Infrastructure), Donna Wilson (EVP Workforce & Sustainability), Dave Cobb (EVP Revenue, Marketing & Communications) and Guy Lodge (VP Services & Overlay), to conclude the successful fact-finding visit.

Semen Vainshtok, President of the “Olimpstroy“ State Corporation, Dmitry Chernyshenko, Sochi 2014 President, Tatiana Dobrokhvalova, Sochi 2014 Senior Vice-President		Sochi 2014 team at the construction site		D. Chernyshenko, John Furlong, CEO of the VANOC, S. Vainshtok

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