Industry News
The International Ski & Snowboard Federation (‘FIS’) announced on Saturday, January 27, that the speed events scheduled for February 2 and 3 in Chamonix, France, will be canceled. The Slalom event, scheduled for Sunday, February 4, may still go ahead at this stage. The Kandahar Alpine Ski World Cup in the shadow of the Mont Blanc has been a staple on the race calendar for years.
After positive snow control on Sunday, January 21, temperatures at the French ski resort have been consistently above freezing, making the course unsafe for speed events on the “La Verte des Houches.” The Local Organization Committee (‘LOC’) announced: “In the face of the rain and extreme heat of the last 7 days, all the snow stocks have been mobilized to keep the piste and facilities in working order. Unfortunately, the abnormally higher-than-forecast temperatures and the even more extreme weather forecast for next week mean that we have no further capacity to offer a safe speed run. The safety of downhillers is the absolute priority of the sporting bodies (FIS, FFS, organisers). Under no circumstances can the slightest risk be taken; the physical integrity of the skiers is at stake.” The LOC further thanked all volunteers for their efforts and time.
It is an unfortunate cancellation but the safety of the athletes is naturally paramount, especially after mounting criticism of the tightly packed calendar following some earlier season cancellations. Some critics, such as Urs Lehmann, President of the Swiss ski association ‘Swiss Ski’, blamed the many injuries this season on the reshuffling of events, which had resulted in four speed events being held at Wengen, Switzerland. During training and races at the famous Lauberhorn, several athletes suffered season-ending injuries, including last season’s speed champion Aleksander Aamodt Kilde and France’s Alexis Pinturault.
The criticism by Urs Lehman in TV interviews resulted in an official statement by FIS, which rejected the criticism and pointed out that as a FIS council member, it was “unethical” and “disrespectful” to speak out publicly against the amended schedule. There has been a long-standing conflict between several national ski associations, including the Swiss Ski Association, and the Swedish FIS president Johan Eliasch. Lehmann had lost his bid for FIS presidency to the Swedish millionaire and CEO of sporting goods company Head.
📢 Breaking News: Due to the high temperatures and unfavorable snow conditions, the two scheduled Downhill races in Chamonix (FRA) on the 2nd-3rd February are cancelled.
The slalom on Sunday is still confirmed as scheduled.#fisalpine— FIS Alpine (@fisalpine) January 27, 2024
