Ski officials finally gave the green light for the opening Alpine races of the Winter Olympics on Sunday as Germany’s Felix Loch became the youngest winner of the men’s luge title.
Adverse weather has hampered the staging of the men’s opening downhill, and the training for the women’s super-combined, but after meetings the International Ski Federation (ISF) said it was “very optimistic” both events could be held yesterday.
“If the weather forecast for Monday is correct we will have minus five [°C] in the finish area and minus seven to eight at the start,” said men’s race director Guenter Hujara.
“If this is true then we will have perfect race conditions,” he said.
It was a shot in the arm for organizers who have been struggling to get the Games on track after the death of Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili and persistent weather woes.
But their joy was tempered when forced to close standing-room viewing areas for snowboardcross races yesterday and today at Cypress Mountain due to safety concerns after persistent heavy rain.
The downpours have washed away snow from where the viewing area was planned, making it unsafe, meaning 4,000 tickets worth C$400,000 (US$380,000) must be refunded.
In the luge, Loch led a German 1-2 with compatriot David Moeller finishing second and Italy’s Armin Zoeggler third.
Taiwan’s only competitor at the Winter Olympics, Ma Chih-hung, finished 34th of the 38 competitors.
Loch, 20, said he was overjoyed to win the emotionally charged event.
“It was the right decision. I was worried that I wouldn’t do so well, but it’s ok, it’s great,” he said, referring to the track changes,” he said.
Not everyone was so keen on the new luge set-up, with some women complaining that their shortened course was fit only for children.
“It’s not a ladies’ start, it’s a kinder [child’s] start,” said Germany’s Natalie Geisenberger.
The host nation, meanwhile, finally broke a long jinx by winning its first gold medal on home soil when Alexandre Bilodeau took the men’s moguls freestyle skiing title.
Until now, Canada held the dubious honor of being the only country to host the Olympics twice — Calgary 1988 Winter Games and Montreal 1976 Summer Games — and not capture a gold medal.
Defending moguls champion Dale Begg-Smith of Australia was second and American Bryon Wilson third.
Bilodeau predicted his triumph would open the doors to other Canadians.
“There will be more to come. It’s just starting for Canada,” he said.
The first gold of the day went to Frenchman Vincent Jay — a soldier in the French army — who did enough to edge out Norway’s Emil Hegle Svendsen and Croatia’s Jakov Fak to take the men’s 10km biathlon sprint title.
Jason Lamy-Chappuis made it a double French celebration when he claimed gold in the Nordic Combined, holding off American Johnny Spillane and Italian Alessandro Pittin in a thrilling dash to the line.
Lamy Chappuis, who leads this season’s World Cup, started skiing at two years old and works as a customs officer.
His win left France on top of the medal table, ahead of Germany, the US and Canada.
Meanwhile, Martina Sablikova of the Czech Republic won the 3,000m women’s speedskating title ahead of Germany’s Stephanie Beckert and Canada’s Kristina Groves.
Sablikova began skating in 1998 and has also been competing in road cycling since 2007. Her younger brother, Milan, is also a speed skater.
A lack of artificial ice tracks in her homeland has forced her to train on short tracks or travel abroad. In 2007 she won the national speed skating title competing on a frozen lake.
Her Vancouver victory made her just the second Czech woman to win a Winter Games gold following cross-country skier Katerina Neumannova in 2006.
Meanwhile, the women’s alpine skiing opener, the super-combined, did not take place.
It was originally set for Sunday at Whistler but too much snow coupled with rain had already forced it to be been rescheduled for Thursday and the problems got worse when training again proved impossible.
But with news from the ISF that events would go ahead yesterday, top women’s skier Lindsey Vonn, aiming for gold in the super-combined, downhill and super-G events, was raring to go.
Her pre-Olympic plan turned sour after arriving in Canada when she revealed a painful shin injury. However, the poor weather has given her crucial extra days to recover.
“She’s still sore but she’s been really happy with the extra four days of rest,” US team spokesman Doug Haney said.
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