BEAVER CREEK — Today’s World Cup downhill on the Birds of Prey has been cancelled because of high winds, and the race will not be made up here.
A super-G is scheduled for Saturday and a giant slalom on Sunday. The downhill probably will be made up somewhere in Europe later in the season.
“We lose a race on home snow,” said Sasha Rearick, men’s head coach of the U.S. Ski Team. “It’s a disappointment, a real big disappointment. The work the race crew did, and the events department, to put on this thing — it almost make you want to cry. The snow is perfect, the track is awesome.”
Rearick said winds at the top of the mountain were strong and variable in direction, making it unsafe for downhill. Speeds in downhill on this course can be expected to approach 80 mph. The biggest danger would have been on the Golden Eagle jump, the biggest on the course, where racers typically fly 120-140 feet.
“If an athlete were to catch an uphill gust, that’s the danger factor,” Rearick said. “We like to run in wind, it’s not a problem, it’s an outdoor sport, but safety is important and uphill gusts on a big jump are dangerous.”
John Meyer: 303-954-1616 or jmeyer@denverpost.com
