Downhill: Feelings regarding the cancellation
For FIS Race Director Günter Hujara the cancellation of the race was a decision for the safety of the athletes. Read and listen to what the racers have to say about this decision.
Gunter Hujara: Cancellation to guarantee athletes' safety
The wind conditions kept changing which made a smooth race impossible. We interrupted the race, sent forerunners down the race track, but to no avail. The conditions became unpredictable. That is why the jury decided to stop the race, to avoid ugly crashes. It was a decision to guarantee the athletes’ safety. For the jury it is sometimes the same as for a football referee when he makes the wrong decision and gives a penalty, but here we are talking about safety. I can understand that for some this is not a good decision, but the athletes’ safety has absolute priority.”
Beat Feuz: One had no chance with this wind
“ With this wind one had no chance. From a sporting point of view the cancellation was correct: I had no trail and no visibility. The slightest bumps jolted me, that’s not normal. At the Start we heard that there were wind gusts every two minutes. The Camel Humps jump takes you far and high. That jump would have been far too dangerous in these high winds. It is best for everyone that the race has been cancelled.”
Johan Clarey: I don’t agree with the cancellation
“I don’t think it would have been dangerous. The piste was not too fast, the jump at the Camel Humps didn’t go too far. A continuation of the race wouldn’t have been fair, because not everybody would have started under the same conditions, but that wouldn’t be the first time that that happens. We have finished so many races under difficult conditions. I don’t agree with the cancellation of the race. Adrien and I skied very well. We were surely lucky. If it weren’t for two Frenchmen in the lead, the race probably would not have been cancelled.”
Aksel Lund Svindal: Shame, but cancellation was the right decision
“It’s a shame, but the cancellation was the right decision. The race was not fair. One could have competed, but one would not have been able to endanger the best anymore. It can always happen that some racers have better conditions than others because skiing is an outdoor sport. Today it was extreme and the cancellation was a good decision.”
Matteo Marsaglia: A continuation of the race is senseless
„ The wind was getting stronger and stronger. It would have been senseless to try and continue the race. The decision was the right one, even if it wasn’t nice to have to cancel exactly our home race. Apart from the safety issues, it is important that the races are fair for all.”