Alpine Skiing: Men’s giant slalom in Sölden cancelled

As feared, the men’s Alpine Ski World Cup season opener in Sölden, scheduled for today’s Sunday, has been cancelled. Due to the announced storm, the safety on the Rettenbach remote control cannot be guaranteed for the persons involved. The first round of the giant slalom should have started at 10:00 a. m., postponement was not an option because of the forecast.

“We think positively, but we are also realistic,”FIS men’s race director Markus Waldner said Saturday evening at the team captain’s meeting and announced an early decision. It then fell shortly before seven o’ clock CET.

After the cancellation of the entire opening event in 2006 due to warm weather and rain and the cancellation of the men’s race 2010 due to fog, the men’s competition in Sölden will be cancelled for the third time. The ladies drove according to plan on Saturday, the German Viktoria Rebensburg won the race.

The Ski World Cup will continue in mid-November with one slalom each for women (11th) and men (12th) in Levi (Finland).