GANGNEUNG, SOUTH KOREA – Joe Meierhofer arrived in Korea in early January to make ice. Not just any ice, but Olympic ice, which in his words must be "perfect ice."
Meierhofer, a Sauk Rapids resident, is among a group of Minnesota ice technicians who were chosen to be part of teams that maintain ice surfaces at Olympic skating venues. Three of them were assigned to the two hockey arenas. Meierhofer and Anoka's Bob Erickson work at the Gangneung Ice Arena, which is home to figure skating and short-track speedskating.
Olympic organizers wanted experts in ice making so they outsourced those jobs. The Minnesotans were selected based on their experience and connections within their profession. Back home, they handle ice operations at various arenas, including Xcel Energy Center, Mariucci Arena and the National Sports Center.
They are veterans of making and maintaining ice surfaces, otherwise known as Zamboni drivers, except the job encompasses so much more than that. They also regulate ice temperatures, monitor ice thickness and handle equipment repair.
No assignment requires as much care as making sure Olympics athletes have impeccable ice conditions.
Or else.
"We don't want to be on the news for something bad," said Adam Stirn, ice operations manager at Mariucci Arena who is working at the main hockey arena here.
Meierhofer arrived a month before the Olympics began to make ice sheets for three different rinks — one for figure skating/short track, a practice rink in the basement and a short-track practice rink at a nearby college. Each ice sheet took a week to make.