Cochrane resident Murray Cluff is now in Sochi, preparing his Chinese freestyle moguls skier for that nation?s first Olympic appearance in the discipline.
Cochrane resident Murray Cluff is now in Sochi, preparing his Chinese freestyle moguls skier for that nation?s first Olympic appearance in the discipline.
Signing on with the Chinese freestyle moguls ski team in 2012, the Medicine Hat native who now hangs his hat in Cochrane, had skier Ning Qin qualify in the top 30 for the Games with consistent World Cup showings this season. Prior to coaching the Chinese team, Cluff coached two-time Olympic moguls medallist Jennifer Heil, who won Olympic silver on home soil in 2010 and also claimed gold in Torino, Italy, in 2006. He wasn?t in Vancouver/Whistler for the Games, but was in Torino. He?s now taking it all in at Sochi.
?They?re still under construction,? he said in a telephone interview with The Eagle. ?They?re still working in the village. They?re going to make it look good for TV. But they?re still doing construction. The athletes? village, though, is beautiful.?
He said there are about 3,000 athletes staying in 26 buildings in Austrian ski village-style architecture around the ski area.
?It?s a great mix. It?s a friendly atmosphere. It?s what the Games are all about, that sort of peaceful celebration between countries. It?s really evident up here.
?The gathering spot is the dining hall where people go in at all times. (U.S. snowboarder) Sean White, the double gold-medallist is here, friendly and talking to everybody. (Canadian gold medallist) Jean-Luc Brassard arrived with the Canadian team and all the young kids glommed onto him.
?It?s just very friendly.?
