YANQING, China — High winds at the National Alpine Skiing Centre forced the postponement of Saturday’s final Alpine race of the Beijing Olympics, the mixed team event, to Sunday, the final day of the Games, with a start time of 9 a.m., local time.
After gusts of up to 40 mph prompted two weather delays Saturday morning, organizers and Alpine skiing officials decided just after 11:30 a.m. local time (10:30 p.m. Eastern) to either postpone or cancel the event. The decision to reschedule it to Sunday came more than an hour later. Among the issues complicating the decision: The forecast for Sunday is no better than the one for Saturday, and some teams were scheduled to fly out of Beijing late Saturday night or early Sunday.
“It was pretty clear with the wind gusts, it wasn’t possible to stage the race,” said Jenny Wiedeke, communications director of the International Ski Federation (FIS). “ … When you have air fences flying, then it’s a pretty clear decision.”
The race, which is to feature United States star Mikaela Shiffrin’s sixth and final chance at a medal at these Olympics, was originally scheduled for 11 a.m. local time, but officials decided Friday to move the start up an hour, to 10 a.m., because of the weather forecast.
However, less than an hour before the race was due to begin, officials decided it was too dangerous to race — with the start pushed back first by one hour, then another. At one point, a segment of the gondola system that transports skiers, media members, volunteers and officials to the start and finish areas was shut down because of the wind, forcing everyone onto shuttles that climb up a steep road via hairpin turns to the top.
According to Olympic historian Bill Mallon, only one Winter Olympic event ever has been canceled entirely: In 1928 in St. Moritz, Switzerland, the men’s speedskating 10-kilometer race was canceled after warm weather made the ice melt.