Bad Weather Threatens Whistler World Cup

Whistler, B.C., Canada, November 28, 1997--The World Cup organizing committee, in agreement with the World Cup race Director Gunther Hujara, has decided to cancel one of the two men's events scheduled on the slopes at Whistler Mountain in order to try to save the other one.
In a press conference held in the late Friday afternoon at the bottom of the hill, Hujara announced that the Super-G, the first of the season, planned for Sunday has been canceled and that the operating committee would put all its energy and into putting on a Downhill race on Saturday, November 29.
"When we saw the bad weather this morning and the pouring rain, nobody would have bet a cent on the possibility of racing here" said Hujara to the media. "But as soon as the sky cleared out while the temperature dropped, we went up again on the course. We saw that it has resisted better then expected to the rain and so we decided to take advantage of the improving weather to go for the Downhill on Saturday.
The mountain crew poured all its energy into priming the course for Saturday's race. "I was amazed to see how happy and pleased all the course workers were to have a chance to go back on the course to work on it," said Hujara.
Still, the weather may or may not cooperate with the committee's plans for Saturday's race.
"One weather forecast company told us that the conditions will be bad again with more rain and snow showers, but another one said it will not be too bad," remarked Hujara. "I think we must give a try".
The race Jury and the organizers will meet on course early in the morning for the final decision. If the conditions remain good, the skiers will have a training run at 9.45 AM (PST) and the race will be run at 12.45 (PST).
The canceled Super-G may be rescheduled for this coming week at Vail, Colorado, where the next World Cup stop is planned.
The snow situation in Europe is not better. Presently, Val d'Isere, France, where the World Cup will resume in December does not have enough snow to held the four men and women's events. International Ski Federation officials are considering whether to keep the racers in North America for an extra week, instead

Whistler Downhill World Cup Snowed Out

Whistler, B.C., Canada, November 29, 1997--Heavy snowfalls which occurred in the night from Friday to Saturday killed the last hopes of the World Cup organizers to hold the first speed events at Whislter Mountain, B.C., this weekend.
First strong rains which fell early Friday, threatened the races. Then, on Friday evening the rains stopped, the weather was cold and dry, and everybody was hoping for a training run and a race on Saturday.
But once more, the weather changed very quickly in this area only about 30 miles (50 kM) away from the Pacific Ocean. The colder weather, in turn, dumped more than a foot of new snow on the slopes near Whistler.
"Everybody has tried his best until the last moment, but this is it" said the World Cup Race Director Gunther Hujara at the bottom of the 'Dave Murray Run'. "There is no way to wait longer to cancel everything."
This marks the second time in two years that the Whistler speed events had to be canceled because of too much snow. The last downhill took place here in 1995, with Italy's Kristian Ghedina the winner.
At that time, the race was held in February. It has since been moved to the season start, but that didn't bring any luck to the race organizers or to the racers.
The competitions have been now re-scheduled for next week at Vail, Colorado. Skiers will race on the newly-designed courses which will be used for the next World Championships, in February 1999.