Are: Race crews are battling wind, wet snow

ARE, Sweden — World Cup women's race director Atle Skaardal said Saturday evening that he's hopeful of running the World Championships super G on Sunday, but he added that hill crews are facing “a very difficult night and day tomorrow” while battling the weather.
ARE, Sweden — World Cup women's race director Atle Skaardal said Saturday evening that he's hopeful of running the World Championships super G on Sunday, but he added that hill crews are facing “a very difficult night and day tomorrow” while battling the weather.
     “We have the crew and the machines we need, and we will work with the snow that we get and try to push it out and prepare as good as possible. Then we will see what will happen tomorrow,” Skaardal said during the team captains meeting at  the Holiday Club in the center of Are.
    Racing at the World Championships has yet to begin after the postponement of Saturday's super G for the men. That race is now scheduled for Monday, meaning that the women's super G would in all likelihood be run Tuesday if bad weather continues on Sunday in Are.
    “In general, the outlook is we will have very strong winds tonight and [Sunday] morning and then we will have snow decrease during the day on top,” said weather forecaster Pia Hultgren. “Then on Sunday morning it will get colder than today, and light snow, but much drier snow.”
    Hultgren added that a cold front is expected to pass overnight and the winds will intensify for a time but should lessen by race time. The wind direction also will shift to the east, Hultgren added, which will bring drier snow. “Winds from the east are the best scanario for the slopes,” she said.
    Following Hultgren's analysis, Skaardal's reaction drew a few laughs: “I don't know whether to say thank you or not, but … it's not your fault,” he joked.
    Skaardal said the biggest concern regarding the course is the soft snow near the bottom that needs to harden before any racing can happen. Course crews with a winch cat spent Saturday afternoon grooming out the large jump just above the finish line, and there was plenty of slushy snow near the edges of the course.
    Higher up, Skaardal said the race jury would consider starting the race in one of two locations other than the top, either 50 meters below the normal start or at top of the steep Hummelkarten section.