Postponed men’s downhill to be raced Thursday

PYEONGCHANG – Agence France-Presse

“Due to the strong wind and unfavorable forecast for today, the men’s downhill is postponed,” the International Ski Federation (FIS) announced.

“The jury has decided to switch the official program and has rescheduled the men’s downhill for Thursday, February 15, and the men’s super-G on Friday, February 16,” FIS said.

The downhill training for the men’s combined event scheduled for Feb. 12 has also been cancelled.

It is not the first time Mother Nature has played havoc with the best laid plans for alpine skiing at the Olympics.

Four years ago in Sochi, the latter part of the program was rescheduled because of poor weather while the downhill in Vancouver in 2010 was put back two days because of heavy snow and rain.

The downhill at the 1998 Nagano Games was rescheduled on three occasions, also because of heavy snow and rain.

Just prior to the postponement, FIS said the “hill is closed to everyone,” meaning that the gondola that transports athletes, their backroom staff, timing and course officials up to the Jeongseon slope would not be running.

Luckily for the male racers, they managed to get three downhill training sessions in under their belts, racing the third in similarly gloomy weather forecasts that eased at the last minute.