Atle Skaardal, Director of the World Cup for Women:
”Unfortunately we were forced to cancel today's Giant Slalom due to unfavourable weather conditions, but I am sure that the decision was right. Despite all the efforts and time of the organisers, who managed to prepare a track of good quality despite the changeable weather in the past days, today this icy rain and thick fog caused circumstances that were seriously threatening for the racers. With national team coaches we had the last inspection right before the planned start, but had to reach a decision about the cancellation after it, because the execution of the race would be too dangerous.
Plans for tomorrow’s slalom are the same. Slalom is shorter; gates are set more tightly to one another, so we hope that regardless of the weather conditions the race will be carried out undisturbed. The organisers will be working throughout the night and if the weather forecast is right, then we can expect the temperatures to drop again. It is surely hard to say what the amount of precipitation over night will be, but the snow base is still in pretty good shape, so we’re optimistic.”
Gorazd Bedrač, vodja tekmovanja:
”The organising team was managing the track since 3 a.m. and it was so to say ready till the morning. At 7.00 the jury inspected it and confirmed that the track was actually ready, so we continued with some final works and fortified it for the race to begin. At 9.45 there was the final inspection carried out together with all representatives of the national teams, who reached the final decision, that due to bad weather conditions and visibility it would have been too risky for the racers. The coaches praised our efforts, but the nature was too powerful this time. Considering the fact, that the Olympics in Sochi are literally tomorrow, most coaches certainly didn’t want to take the risk and in some way endanger health of their competitors.
The preparations for tomorrow’s slalom are being continued as planned; we will begin this afternoon already and then continue working on the track all night long. At first, mechanically, and then at 4.00 the whole team will be on the slope again to make sure, that everything is ready till 6.30 for the setting of the slalom course. The weather forecast is favourable at the moment and with some luck our today’s situation won’t happen again.”