Snow, lack of it hampers World Cup

SAN SICARIO, Italy – A women’s World Cup downhill training session scheduled for Wednesday was canceled because of heavy snowfall, while a lack of snow has hampered freestyle races in the Czeck Republic.

The freestyle World Cup races planned Feb. 2-4 in the Czech Republic were canceled Tuesday because of lack of snow.

In Italy, five inches of snow fell on the resort that hosted last year’s Turin Olympics. Up to a foot is expected by Wednesday, competition manager Gianni Poncet said.

It is the area’s first snowfall in more than a month. Under the revised schedule, only one training session will be held Thursday.

A super-G race is scheduled for Friday, the downhill for Saturday, and another super-G on Sunday.

Friday’s super-G was moved from Altenmarkt, Austria, earlier this month because of poor conditions in the Austrian resort.

In the Czech Republic, organizers want to reschedule the freestyle event for next month, spokesman Marek Rajmont said.

Rajmont said it could be decided by the end of the week if the races take place in northern Czech resorts during the first weekend of March.