Geo Quiz

Caucasian city

Today’s Geo Quiz kicks off with an Olympic update. There’s lots of snow at Whistler where the downhill ski events will be held. But there’s still no snow at all in the forecast for Cypress Mountain. That’s where the snowboard and freestyle ski events get under way in a little more than a week. So organizers are trucking in snow as fast as they can.

Meanwhile, Russia’s President today jokingly offered to deliver some extra snow – all the way from Russia. President Medvedev says there’s plenty in the Russian resort that will host the next Winter Games in 2014. And where would that be? — that’s the question for you.

It’s a city near Russia’s southern border with not one but two great views. Look one way and you scan the coast of the Black Sea. In the other direction, it’s the snow-capped peaks of the Caucasus.

… and the name of a Russian city on the Black Sea is Sochi. The city’s got a Mediterranean climate to satisfy summer tourists. And it’s in the Caucasus Mountains, so winter tourists can enjoy world class skiing. Now, the Winter Games in Sochi are 4 years away but there’s a lot to do to get ready.

There are new luxury hotels in the works, and a sports complex planned in the middle of a nature reserve. And that’s the problem, according to a story in the German magazine Der Spiegel.

The Russian branch of the World Wildlife Fund says the construction will disrupt a protected area called Bolshoi Utrish It’s a breeding ground for many endangered migratory birds. Local activists also object to a paved road that would cut through the nature reserve.

A Russian court agreed and suspended the road project. Meanwhile Russian President Medvedev has his sights on the Games getting underway soon in Vancouver. He said today he’d really like to attend the ice hockey finals.