The unfortunate failure to launch the Alpine speed ski racing season has continued with all three men's races cancelled over the past three days at Beaver Creek.
The planned two World Cup Downhill and one Super G races were cancelled for various reasons including too much snowfall, low visibility and strong winds.
The cancellations take the total number of races cancelled so far this season to 5 out of 5, with the attempt to stage an inaugural two Downhill races on the new high-altitude cross-border course between Zermatt and Cervinia failing to happen for the second successive year.
Hopefully the 23-24 speed tour will now finally start on the weekend of 15-16 December when a Super-G and Downhill are scheduled for Val Gardena.
Each year, two World Cup races take place on the famous Saslong corse in Val Gardena in the week before Christmas – a downhill (since 1972) and a Super G (since 2002), however it is not thought that the tour has ever started in Italy in the World Cup era.
Traditionally the men's speed racing tour has begun at Lake Louise in late November, but that venue has no plans to stage races currently due to financial issues.
"Skiing is an outdoor sport and we know we are dependent on the weather, of course," said Austria's Vincent Kriechmayr, adding, "How does it feel as an athlete when you're looking forward to start the season, but there are no races yet? Of course we are sad, but it is part of skiing. It's neither the first or last time that races will be cancelled. You try to stay positive and focused on the upcoming races."