After the dangerous windlottery in the slopestyle finale of the female snowboarders, there was still a lot of outrage in the ÖSV camp the day after “The anger is certainly not smoky. Unfortunately, it was a decision that is in no way comprehensible,”said Christian Galler, head of Austria’s boarders.
The team in charge in Bokwang had cancelled the qualification on Sunday because of too much wind, but the final the following day was flogged through despite similarly dangerous conditions with the hint that there would be no final at all. The Austrian Anna Gasser had been one of the co-favorites, but in the end she could not get past 15th place in borderline conditions.
“In the final we had gusts of wind in at least the same intensity as the day before. It was worthy of the jury to call it off. But not on the final day, that’s hard to understand,”said Galler. The ÖSV had already protested early in the competition, but in vain.
“We need five athletes and three at the finish line, and the result counts. If we as Austria protest with an athlete, they are even happy, because then one of the top athletes is gone.”
From Galer’s point of view, the final was irresponsible.”There’s no excuse. There’s something wrong with a counted 41 falls in 50 runs. Either the athletes are sorry, stupid, or there is something wrong with the competition arena. I assume the second.”
From Galler’s point of view, the decision-makers had put too little emphasis on the opinion of the drivers to the jury. We had 30 fit athletes at the beginning of the race. Then it was only 26 and after the first training only 25. That says anyway, whether it’s dangerous or not.”
In the camp of the ÖSV snowboarders, three medals are hoped for in the games, one from each of the three categories Freestyle, Cross and Alpin. Gasser gets another chance in the Big Air, next on Thursday the boardercrossers are in action in Bokwang.