Warm weather cancels GS World Cup in Slovenia

By Elizabeth Karam, U.S. Ski Team

MARIBOR, Slovenia – Poor course conditions due to warm weather forced race officials to cancel the Audi FIS Alpine World Cup giant slalom in Maribor after 25 racers.

With temperatures reaching close to 60 degrees Fahrenheit, the snow softened causing challenging conditions. At the time of cancellation, Olympic champions Lindsey Vonn of Vail and Julia Mancuso of Squaw Valley were in 12th and 19th with four-time Olympian Sarah Schleper of Vail in 25th. Germany’s Viktoria Rebensburg was leading the race.

“We knew it was going to be a tough one with the temperature and weather conditions. We are hoping it will get colder so the snow freezes. As for right now everything is still on,” said Head Coach Alex Hoedlmoser of the GS cancelation and Sunday’s slalom race. “We just have to stay positive. Even if conditions aren’t great we have to be ready when they say racers are off. We have to be up there and charge.”

The women are scheduled to race slalom on Sunday. A decision about the slalom will be made shortly before the race.