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Prime Minister Vladimir Putin met with organisers and participants in the Moscow stage of the FIS Alpine Ski World Cup

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Events / Photos

Mr Putin's opening remarks:

Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen, friends,

First of all, I would like to wish you a happy New Year, and luck and success in the competition. I want to thank all the athletes, coaches and organisers of the event for your decision to hold the Alpine Ski Cup in Moscow. It is a great New Year's gift for all lovers of alpine skiing and of all winter sports. This will promote alpine skiing both in the world and here, in Russia. Everything we do today will be a first. It is the first ever competition in this sport, and it will be held in Russia's capital.

It is a great honour for us to receive such important guests as world-famous alpine skiers. It is also a very useful experience for us, because, as you know, Russia is going to host the 2014 Olympics. I would like to thank you for your arrival once again, because it is an important stage in our preparations for the Sochi Olympics. I hope many of you will perform at the Olympics and show excellence there as well.

I wish you every success today and hope that you will find your time in Moscow enjoyable and rewarding.

Mr Putin's closing remarks:

Friends, yesterday evening I skied together with Karl Schranz (Austrian alpine ski racer). We warmed up a bit. We spoke about the rapid development of all sports in the past years, including alpine skiing. And both of us, not only me - I am just a fan of alpine skiing - but also a professional like Mr Schranz, admired the style and bravery you have demonstrated here. At first sight it seems to be beyond human abilities. Today, alpine skiing is not only very demanding, but also a very elegant and beautiful sport. I am sure that the events we have witnessed today will impress all ski lovers.

I again sincerely wish you success both in today's competition and in your sporting career in general. Along with all alpine ski lovers, I am happy to welcome you all in Russia, both as visitors - Russia is a very interesting place - and as participants in competitions, which, I am sure, we will organise many times in the future.

Thank you very much.