Sochi Less than Two Months from Europa Cup

In case you missed it, I thought I would hit on what the (internet and/or skiing) world considers to be the first major test for Sochi Olympic organizers: staging the Alpine Europa Cup.  As you undoubtedly already know, the Alpine Europa Cup is one step below the World Cup in the ski world, though organizer Sarah Lewis, secretary general of the International Ski Federation (FIS), still expects many of the world's top skiers to attend. 

As for the lack of snow in mid-December and temperatures pushing 70, well, that's nothing to worry about:

"In December we don't have much snow here but I can promise you that in three or four weeks we'll have lots of it," the area's managing director Alexander Belokobylsky told Reuters.
"Nevertheless, we have 150 snow-making machines ready, just in case, and the piste is nearly ready," he said, referring to the Olympic downhill course, which starts at 2,045 metres for men and at 1,745m for women and finishes at 960m.

 Belokobylsky goes to assure us that the concerns from environmental groups over the 100 hectares that had to be cleared for the downhill course "have been solved."  The article also mentions that "the organisers also had to convince local residents that staging the Games would bring huge benefits to the area" and offers that the locals were, by and large, convinced.  As to what those "huge benefits" might be, well, that is left up to the imagination.