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Alpine organisers: It's time to race WHISTLER (AFP) International ski officials have finally given the green light for the opening alpine races of the Olympic Games after a largely positive teams captains' meeting here Sunday.
Adverse weather in recent days has hampered the staging of the men's opening downhill, and the training for the women's super-combined, but officials said they were "very optimistic" both events could be held on Monday.
It now means that, as planned, the women will race two, partial downhill training sessions either side of the men's downhill - the first alpine medal event.
After days of heavy snowfall, poor visibility and worsening snow conditions on the race runs the weather in Whistler improved drastically on Sunday, with skies clearing.
Course workers have cleard the heavy snow which had fallen on the men's Dave Murray run and the women's Franz's Run and course officials said both pistes were in "perfect condition".
Another bonus is that temperatures are set to drop further overnight, allowing the snow on both runs to harden and become raceable.
The women's alpine opener, the super-combined, is composed of a downhill and a slalom and had to be re-scheduled for Thursday having initially been set for Sunday.
So far the women's field has been unable to complete the single downhill training session which is required before any downhill race, either on its own or as part of the super-combined, can be staged.
The entire field for the men's downhill just managed to complete a downhill training session last week, although the downhill race had to be postponed to Monday from Saturday.
Adverse weather in recent days has hampered the staging of the men's opening downhill, and the training for the women's super-combined, but officials said they were "very optimistic" both events could be held on Monday.
It now means that, as planned, the women will race two, partial downhill training sessions either side of the men's downhill - the first alpine medal event.
After days of heavy snowfall, poor visibility and worsening snow conditions on the race runs the weather in Whistler improved drastically on Sunday, with skies clearing.
Course workers have cleard the heavy snow which had fallen on the men's Dave Murray run and the women's Franz's Run and course officials said both pistes were in "perfect condition".
Another bonus is that temperatures are set to drop further overnight, allowing the snow on both runs to harden and become raceable.
The women's alpine opener, the super-combined, is composed of a downhill and a slalom and had to be re-scheduled for Thursday having initially been set for Sunday.
So far the women's field has been unable to complete the single downhill training session which is required before any downhill race, either on its own or as part of the super-combined, can be staged.
The entire field for the men's downhill just managed to complete a downhill training session last week, although the downhill race had to be postponed to Monday from Saturday.