Fog, snowfall, wind: Despite obviously poor conditions, 25 drivers are taking part in the race in Colorado. Only after protests does the jury decide to abandon the race.
Stormy winter weather initially threw up the descent of the ski racers in Aspen, America, and ultimately led to the race being abandoned. After increasing gusts of wind, snowfall and dense fog had created unfair conditions, the jury decided to end the race on Friday after 25 drivers. Previously, the still waiting athletes had decide to do so by votingnot to start again.
This decision was particularly bitter for Norway’s Adrian Smiseth Sejersted, who was close to winning his first World Cup at the time. The Scandinavian had benefited from his starting number 1 and was able to race down the slope in Colorado while the sun was still shining. As a result, visibility continued to deteriorate.
Rows of athletes were frustrated about a competition in these questionable conditions. The best downhill skier of the winter, the Norwegian Aleksander Aamodt Kilde, reacted by shaking his head. Alpine high-flyer Marco Odermatt from Switzerland mocked the descent as a “great race”. And the German Andreas Sander yelled expletives at the camera.
The descent in Colorado, like the race in California last week, caused a lot of criticism. It is the second time this winter that the men are flying to the USA. In November the Alpines had been to Beaver Creek. Instead of holding the US races in Palisades Tahoe and Aspen directly afterwards, the world association Fis put them at the end of the season. For this Saturday, a second descent is on the program for the high-speed riders in the Rocky Mountains. A Super-G on Sunday should conclude the race weekend.