Zhu Bin went skiing for the first time this winter in suburb Beijing as the previously luxurious sport became a fashion all of a sudden among Chinese.

"It was great fun," said a sun-tanned Zhu who used ordinary sun-glasses in stead of skiing goggles to protect his eyes.

"I will bring more friends here," said the 26-year-old white collar.

The young generation of Chinese' new-found love in skiing gave Tong Lixin much confidence in the future of the winter events, including the short track speed skating.

Tong, Chinese short track team leader, is working hard with the team, boasting Olympic champion Yang Yang (A), in their building-up to next year's Turin Olympic Games.

"More Chinese fall in love with the ice and snow events, closer China is to true dominance in the sport in competitive level. It is the right way for a competitive sport to develop, just like table tennis in China," said Tong.

"People are getting better-off each day. They have spare money to do more expensive sports and find interests in them," he said.

"China is not at the turn for the greatness in these winter events, but I think the day will come," he added.

But now, Tong has to deal with the lack of new talents in the short track speed skating as the country will rivet its eyes on them in Turin, expecting them to repeat the triumphs in Salt Lake City in 2002.

Yang put an end to China's winter Olympics gold medal drought as she clinched the 500m and 1,000m titles.

The 29-year-old veteran is expected to anchor the women's team again in her third Olympics next year.

"We have world-class skaters in our team but the number is small, especially the younger ones," said Tong.

"The old training system is collapsing. The grass roots coaches make much less money than their colleagues in higher levels and they lose interests in their work, which results in poor foundation in this sport," Tong said.

"The situation will turn for the better because people begin to like such sport and are willing to pay for it.

"But it takes a long time to foster a new generation of skaters.

The Olympics is next year so we have to tap what we have," he said.

To achieve good results in Turin, the short track speed skating team has undergone a series of changes in a bid to further tap the skaters' potential.

Xin Qingshan, leading China to two titles in Salt Lake City, was promoted into the head coach position and the team was split into men's and women's teams with Feng Kai and Yi Min as coaches respectively.

"Each skater in the national team needs more attention from the coaches in their building-up for Turin in order to improve on their techniques and ability," said Tong.

"Besides, the sport has developed into a new level, which requires men's and women's skaters adopt different training methods," he continued. "That's why we put more coaches in."

"I believe it is the trend in training," he said.

What's more, the national team opens its door to all the skaters nation wide as it begins to select national team members through more domestic trial than coaches' opinions.

Tong explained that the top five men and women all-rounders in April's National Games automatically enter the national team.

"But the national team is not a safe box for them because they have to compete in the Olympic trial before they can go to Turin next year," said Tong.

Countries like Canada and the United States have long adopted trials in selecting skaters for the Olympics while China will kick off the first of the kind in September.

All eligible skaters, about 120 in total, are allowed to compete in a preliminary before 18 of them, nine men and nine women, enter two qualifying rounds. The top five finishers in men's and women's all-round events respectively will represent China in Turin, according to Tong.

"We believe this change will prompt the top skaters in the national team to work harder and give hope to those in the provincial teams," he said.

"We need an inspired team for Turin and we hope the new trial system will do a little help," said Tong.