Quantcast
Wacky West Coast weather could play role indoors and outdoors at Olympic venues – Metro US

Wacky West Coast weather could play role indoors and outdoors at Olympic venues

VANCOUVER, B.C. – As if warm temperatures and lack of snow weren’t causing enough headaches for 2010 Games organizers at outdoor Olympic venues, the Vancouver weather might also wreak some havoc indoors.

Venue operators at the curling centre and the Olympic speedskating oval say both facilities have built-in measures to combat the region’s high level of humidity.

Neil Houston, sport manager for the curling facility, says if spectators come in with rain on their coats that precipitation will inevitably evaporate and rise to the top of the venue.

Houston says there are fans hanging overhead that gather and blow moisture away from the field of play, and they’ve have added extra dehumidifiers to keep the ice in tip-top shape.

He says if the excess moisture hits the ice the conditions change, throwing a hurdle in the path of competing curlers.

At the Oval, general manager Magnus Enfeldt says planners included a dehumidifier system and feedback from athletes on ice conditions has so far been good.