GEPA pictures/Mario Buehner-Weinrauch
The thrill of the Women’s World Cup super-G in St. Moritz and the Men’s World Cup slalom in Val d’Isère took an unexpected turn as both events faced cancellation due to challenging weather conditions.
The alpine setting in St. Moritz transformed into a snowy wonderland overnight as heavy snowfall covered the Corviglia course. Safety concerns emerged from the accumulating snow, making it impossible to ensure a safe race. FIS Chief Race Director Alpine Women Peter Gerdol highlighted the challenge: “It was quite a lot of snow last night. The minimum was 20 centimeters; there were some spots where it was over 40. The snow covered the whole course and the race line that we kept quite clean until last night, but in the end, this new snow destroyed the base. In a couple of hours, it’s impossible to get this base hard enough to make a safe race.”
Despite two days of successful speed racing leading up to the anticipated super-G, the unpredictable weather reared its head, underscoring the vulnerability of alpine skiing schedules to Mother Nature.
Val d’Isère witnessed a similar story for the Men’s World Cup slalom. Following a successful giant slalom race on Saturday, unfavorable weather conditions, including rain, wet snow, and strong winds, forced the cancellation of the slalom event on Sunday. FIS Chief Race Director Alpine Men Markus Waldner described the challenges, stating, “Actually, the snow was excellent yesterday during the GS, and then late afternoon, it starts raining. And then it turns into wet snow (with) strong wind also. This morning, we went out at 2 a.m. The base was gone, not good enough to race anymore. We tried to set the course and clean a little bit, but it was not safe enough.”
This season has proven to be a weather rollercoaster, with both the women’s and men’s tours grappling with cancellations. The women experienced cancellations in two Downhill races in Zermatt-Cervinia and the recent super-G in St. Moritz. On the other hand, the men faced disruptions in the Sölden GS in Austria, two downhill races in Zermatt-Cervinia, one super-G, and two Downhills in Beaver Creek, Colorado. The latest blow came with the cancellation of the slalom in Val d’Isère.
Remarkably, the women’s tour pulled off four giant slaloms, three slaloms, a super-G, and a downhill this season, showcasing a bit of luck with weather conditions at their respective sites. In contrast, the men faced a more challenging run, completing only one slalom and one giant slalom amid multiple cancellations.
As the skiing community faces these setbacks, attention turns to the resilience and adaptability required in navigating the unpredictable world of alpine skiing. With the women’s tour heading to Val d’Isère for a downhill and a super-G and the men’s tour gearing up for four consecutive days of racing in Val Gardena and Alta Badia, the hope remains that the weather will play its part to ensure a safe and thrilling competition for athletes and fans alike.