Jasna giant slalom canceled due to excessive wind
As forecasted at the team captain’s meeting the night before, there were strong winds in the Low Tatras mountains this morning. The initial hope was that the wind would push away expected fog and leave race organizers and athletes with a great day of racing. Unfortunately, the wind came on a little too strong.
The jury first decided to lower the start to the reserve position and to delay the start time by one hour. The wind, with gusts up to 80 kilometers an hour (approximately 50 miles per hour), didn’t let up and unfortunately forced the organizers and the jury to cancel the eighth giant slalom race of the season.
“Nature is stronger,” FIS Chief Race Director Atle Skaardal said. “It was extremely windy and we had no chance to have a decent race today. The cancellation was a pretty clear decision.”
The giant slalom race might be rescheduled for Monday, March 7, but the focus is now on tomorrow’s slalom race. Slalom is a big deal in Slovakia thanks to star athletes, Veronika Velez-Zuzulova and Petra Vlhova, and the sold-out crowds are ready to watch them race.
“We still expect some wind tomorrow,” Skaardal continued. “If for that reason the race cannot take place, then we will reschedule the slalom race for Monday instead of the GS. But this is something we can’t predict. For now let’s focus on the slalom and take it day by day.”
“There is nothing you can do. The race course is amazing and the organisers sold all their tickets and it hurts to cancel that race,” Skaardal concluded.
Just how windy was it?
Jasna FisSkiWorldCup#wind#jasna#infrontsports
A video posted by @kozz1 on
Release courtesy of FIS
About the Author: SR Staff Report
