PYEONGCHANG, Feb. 15 -- "Listen, the ice is whispering," said "ice master" Remy Boehler, watching closely the figure skaters training at the Gangneung Ice Arena for South Korea-hosted PyeongChang Olympics.
The skaters, in their much simpler skin-tight white or black training outfits, are making a last ditch effort for the Games, so is Boehler.
The 41-year-old French leads a team of 14 technicians, eight from the United States, four South Koreans and two Japanese, taking in charge of the three ice rinks in the venue.
Figure skating is on the center stage of Olympics and PyeongChang is no exception. In the case of Gangneung arena, which also hosts short track speed skating, an event winning South Korea most Olympic gold medals and having a solid fan base in the host country, the challenges for Boehler and his team are apparently mounting.
"First, the ice temperature for the two events is different, for figure skating, minus three to four degrees Celsius, minus six to seven degrees for short track. So the ice for figure skating is less hard," said Boelher. "Plus the competition schedule is so tight that we are left for three to hours to make the temperature right."
To make the situation more complicated, the capacity of the Gangneung arena, with a capacity of around 6,000 people, is often fully packed and temperature inside will rise along, which could be a disaster for the rink.
Boehler has to cut through all the commotion to find out the "real-time" conditions of ice and makes sure it is ready for competition.
Brought up in a family of figure skaters in Paris, Boehler is no stranger to ice rink, his Neverland in the childhood. He began to receive training of being an ice master at 16 by beginning with working as a driver for Zamnoni machine, or ice resurfacer for Albertville Games in 1992. PyeongChang is his third Winter Games after Turin in 2006.
With more than two decades in business, Boehler has developed his tips to tell if the ice is good or not -- from the sound even made by the whispery crosscut strokes of blades.
"If it sounds crispy and clear. It's good. Or, we have to take actions," he said.
During the course of an event, the ice gets carved, cut and slashed, making it difficult for the players to skate. So between groups, Zamboni machines enter the rink and essentially reglaze the ice.
Boehler welcomes some of the changes that the intense and swift technological development has brought: sensor to monitor arena temperatures, laser gun to determine ice temperature and depth, and better Zamboni machines, but he also believes in experience, which he said should take control of technology.
"So when I come into the rink, I took off the beanie and listen carefully what the ice is saying. It works every time," said Boehler.
"But of course, I will also listen to the athletes too. So far, I have heard no complaint," he added, with a sly gin.