Ski resort in Zhangjiakou on track for world-class status

Having competed at the Winter Olympics twice since 2010, Norwegian snowboarder Stale Sandbech is familiar with world-class ski resorts. But the experience of training at the Genting Resort Secret Garden in Zhangjiakou, Hebei province, went beyond his expectations.

"I am surprised how good the condition of the snow is here," said Sandbech, the men's slopestyle silver medalist at last year's Sochi Winter Olympics. "The pitches are really good to build jumps. It's not too steep, and it's not too flat. It's very good for snowboarding."

Pitch refers to a slope's angle. Ideal jumps have compatible takeoff and landing pitches, helping competitors achieve top performance.