Kitzbühel to ship in snow for Hahnenkamm

Organizers of the World Cup races in Kitzbühel, Austria, have announced plans to ship in natural snow so the meet can take place.
WENGEN, Switzerland — Organizers of the World Cup races in Kitzbühel, Austria, have announced plans to ship in natural snow so the meet can take place.
    The classic Hahnenkamm races, scheduled Jan. 26-28, are in danger of being moved to St. Moritz, Switzerland, because of a lack of snow.
    “The missing snow will have to be transported in next week to ensure we have a piste to race on,” organizers said in a statement on Friday. “The organizing committee plans to bring in at least 4,000 cubic meters [141,250 cubic feet] of natural snow from higher-lying regions and spread it on to the critical parts of the course using transport helicopters.”
    The amount of snow is equivalent to filling two Olympic-size swimming pools.
    The Kitzbüheler ski club estimated the cost at several hundred thousand euros.
    “The shape of the course is quite good now,” Kitzbühel’s chief of race Peter Obernauer told The Associated Press. “We have artificial snow all over the slope. From the Alte Schneise passage to the Hausberg passage we need more. But we have snow reserves.
    “The weather forecast is also good. I am 90 percent sure the races will happen in Kitzbühel.”
    The program includes a super G on Jan. 26, the famous Streif downhill the next day and a slalom on Jan. 28.
    The International Ski Federation will inspect course conditions next Tuesday before deciding whether Kitzbühel can go ahead with the races.
    A general lack of snow across Europe has wreaked havoc on the World Cup circuit.
    On Friday, overnight rain and warm temperatures wiped out a men’s super combined race in Wengen. A downhill slated for Saturday with a slalom of the scrapped super combi on Sunday are also in danger, though temperatures are now expected to cool.
    Balmy weather also forced the International Ski Federation to move men’s races from Chamonix next week to Val d’Isere.

— The Associated Press