Wild Winds Spoil Men's Downhill

(ATR) Substantial wind gusts at the Jeongseon Alpine Center have forced postponement of the men’s downhill. The signature race has been re-scheduled for Thursday morning.

"We were up at six o’clock this morning and the gusts were crazy on the top of the mountain – you cannot imagine it," said International Ski Federation men’s race director Markus Waldner. " We went up by Ski-doo to the intermediate station because the gondola was not working. It was obvious and easy to cancel."

The official decision was made three hours before the expected start of the downhill, which had been scheduled for 11 a.m. on Sunday. Wind gusts were reported at up to 50 mph (80 kph) on the mountain.

"Not a surprise actually, the forecast was very clear," Waldner said. "The good thing is that the forecast is very accurate – we knew it three days ago and now it’s happening."

Waldner confirmed, as the downhill takes priority in the schedule, that the men’s super-G is now pushed back from Thursday to Friday, which is a reserve day. The FIS race director said the scheduling change was made after consulting with the IOC, the POCOG and OBS.

"The next three days we still expect these winds guys, so not easy," Waldner said. "Training for the alpine combined tomorrow is also cancelled. Tuesday is also very challenging, but we will prepare the downhill very easy now and go for the alpine combined.

"It’s unfortunate because it’s a sunny day and the guys were ready to go," Waldner added. "We’re confident that we made the right decision for moving forward."

The easy-going Italian race director said there is no reason to panic.

"No stress, everything under control," he said.

Written and reported by Brian Pinelliin Jeongseon

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