High Winds Cancel Men’s Downhill Training
Feb 4, 2022, 8:52 PM | Updated: 11:14 pm
Bryce Bennett of Team United States skis during the Men's Downhill 2nd training session ahead of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games at National Alpine Ski Centre on February 04, 2022 in Yanqing, China. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
(Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
BEIJING (AP) — The third and final training session for men’s downhill skiing at the Beijing Games has been canceled because of high winds.
Organizers say they made the decision “in the best interest of safety.”
The start of the second training session had to be delayed Friday because of wind. Organizers said Saturday there was no window in the forecast that would allow them to push back the third session rather than canceling it.
🌬🌬🌬 Too much wind today to run the third and final men’s downhill training, so we’ll cross our fingers for less wind tomorrow on downhill race day at @Beijing2022.#alpineskiing #olympics pic.twitter.com/PPJmkYjEzf
— U.S. Ski & Snowboard Team (@usskiteam) February 5, 2022
Only three skiers had set off, including one of the favorites, Aleksander Aamodt Kilde of Norway.
The world’s best skiers only saw the Rock course up close for the first time on Thursday because test events were canceled over the last two years amid the pandemic.
The men’s downhill opens the Alpine competition on Sunday.
