Naeba-san (Japan) (AFP)
The Naeba slalom, which counts for the Men's Alpine Ski World Cup, has been canceled due to weather conditions in the Japanese winter sports resort, organizers announced on Sunday.
The event was initially scheduled to start at 10:00 am local time (01:00 GMT) but rain and wind led the organizers to postpone the start of the first round three times.
They announced at 12:30 local time (03:30 GMT) that the event was canceled. "Due to the weather conditions, especially the strong winds, the jury and the organizers decided to cancel the slalom," said the International Ski Federation.
"The date and place where this slalom will be rescheduled will be announced later," she added.
The day before, the weather had already disrupted the giant slalom won by the Croatian Filip Zubcic. Gusts of wind and spring temperatures had surprised several favorites.
The long trip to Japan, ultimately a single race (the World Cup was originally also to stop in China in mid-February but this Chinese round was canceled due to fears linked to the coronavirus), paradoxically consolidated the chances of the Norwegian Aleksander Aamodt Kilde lifting the crystal globe from world No.1 in late winter.
Kilde, specialist in speed disciplines, had finished Saturday 6th in the giant slalom of Naeba, just behind his compatriot Henri Kristoffersen and far ahead of the Frenchman Alexis Pinturault (15th), his two rivals for the final victory in the general classification of the World Cup .
Kilde leads the general with 1,022 points, 74 more than Kristoffersen (948 pts) and 124 more than Pinturault (898 pts).
The next race weekend in Hinterstoder, Austria, with three events in three days on the program (combined, super-G and giant slalom), could therefore be a turning point in the season.
© 2020 AFP