ALPINE SKI. SOLDEU-GRANDVALIRA, Andorra – The wind wreaked havoc beginning in the wee hours of the morning in Soldeu on Friday and after trying every possible measure, officials had to cancel the women’s World Cup giant slalom.

Although the two days before the GS race – rescheduled from the cancelation in Courchevel in December – the wind was calm, day temperatures ideal and the sun was shining, the wind brought trouble to Soldeu once already earlier in the week. World Cup Organizers had to rebuild structures when the wind reached speeds of nearly 180 kilometers per hour and several banners and materials on the race course and finish area blew down the valley. The structures had taken a full week to erect and after working around the clock for 48 hours, workers had them back in place Thursday afternoon, only to be further hammered by the wind early Friday morning.

Tents were in the river, camera equipment destroyed – all but just a few tents and banners had to be put back in place in an attempt to run the race on Friday. While everything was ready to go after several delays – including a beautiful course and otherwise perfect weather with a cloudless blue sky and sun – the wind picked up again and there was “no chance.”

“The wind was really strong during the night. It destroyed a lot of equipment – TV towers, TV cameras, air fences, B fences, A nets … we had to rebuild parts of the arena, it was clear quite soon that we had to delay the race,” FIS Race Director Atle Skaardal said.

“The weather forecast was then telling us that the wind was supposed to calm down during the day and this happened maybe a little bit in the morning hours, but since 11 o’clock, it’s actually increasing again. We went up to try and delayed two times but it didn’t improve. There was no choice but to cancel,” Skaardal said. “We would have had a lot of problems – gates hitting athletes, no visibility because of loose snow blowing around. It’s not conditions for a race.”

Near the GS start elevation of 2,250 meters, organizers measured gusts of 99 km per hour in the morning. Skaardal lamented that other than the wind, conditions were absolutely optimal Friday at the Andorran venue.

“Everything else is perfect – no clouds, blue beautiful sunshine, nice temperatures, the course is amazing,” he said. “It’s really too bad.”

Because the forecast shows lighter wind on Sunday, the jury has decided to move the slalom to Saturday and the second GS to Sunday. The first run of the slalom is slated for 10:30 Saturday.

By Shauna Farnell
FISalpine.com
Friday 10 February 2012

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