New Zealands medal chances at Olympic Winter games have been strengthened once again following the inclusion of mens and womens ski slopestyle and snow slopestyle on the Olympic Programme. The decision was taken by the IOC Executive Board (EB) ahead of the 123rd IOC Session in Durban, South Africa, and follows the inclusion in April of ski halfpipe, another strong New Zealand winter sport. New Zealand Olympic Committee Secretary General Kereyn Smith says the addition of the slopestyle events is positive for New Zealand. Weve got some real talent in ski and snowboard slopestyle and it is pleasing to have events that suit our athletes on the Olympic programme. Together with the inclusion of ski half-pipe, the new events will inspire more young New Zealanders to get involved in winter sports. New Zealanders Shelley Gotlieb, Rebecca Torr and Stefi Luxton are currently competing at a high international in womens snowboard slopestyle and Jossi Wells won silver in the 2009 X-Games in ski slopestyle. Peter Wardell, New Zealand Olympic Chef de Mission for the 2012 Innsbruck Youth Olympic Winter Games and the 2014 Olympic Winter Games says the inclusion of the new events is positive for the future of winter sport in New Zealand. These events are ideal for Kiwi athletes and also suit the terrain and facilities that New Zealand has to offer. Weve got a group of talented young athletes in line for the Olympic Winter Games in both 2014 and 2018. Its an exciting development. IOC President Jacques Rogge says the events provide great entertainment for spectators and add further youthful appeal to the Olympic Winter Games. The Olympic Programme Commission (OPC) initially proposed the inclusion of the events to the EB in Acapulco in October last year. The OPC studied the proposal of the individual International Sports Federations and, at the request of the EB, compiled a detailed analysis of all candidate events at their respective world championships last winter. The decision was also based on an operational feasibility study undertaken by the organisers of the Sochi 2014 Olympic Games. The EB also agreed on a shortlist of sports that will be considered for inclusion in the sports programme of the 2020 Olympiad. The sports are: baseball, karate, roller sports, softball, sports climbing, squash, wakeboard and wushu, one of which could be added to the 2020 sports programme to be voted on by the 125th IOC Session in Buenos Aires in 2013. The programme can include a maximum of 28 sports. The next edition of the Olympic Winter Games will take place in 2014 in Sochi, Russia. The 2018 bid city for the Olympic Winter Games will be voted on by IOC members at this months IOC Session in Durban, South Africa, following a final presentation by the IOC Bid Evaluation Commission which includes New Zealand IOC member Barry Maister.
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