Downhill a real blowout

THE final training run for the men’s Olympic downhill was cut short on Saturday because of high winds that blew prerace favourite Aleksander Aamodt Kilde 60 metres into the air on his run.

Just three racers – Norway’s Kilde, Austrian Matthias Mayer and Christof Innerhofer of Italy – came down the 3.1km “Rock” course before organisers called it a day, to the disgruntlement of some racers unable to take to their skis.

Kilde said the gusts of wind were “coming from every direction” and had propelled him into the air on some of the five jumps that punctuate the manmade course on artificial snow.

“Due to the present weather situation with high winds and no window in the forecast for decreasing winds, in the best interest of safety the jury together with the organisers have decided to cancel today’s (training run),” a statement read.

According to the official forecast, the wind made the minus 19.5C temperature feel like minus 28.3C.

Racers completed the first two training runs on Thursday and Friday without problem, and Kilde said it was a “pity they sent three guys and then made the decision”.

“We could have waited for a bit,” argued Switzerland’s Marco Odermatt, one of Kilde’s main rivals.