Cortina d'Ampezzo (Italy) (AFP)

Several skiers harshly criticized the downhill slope of the Alpine Skiing Worlds in Cortina d'Ampezzo (Italy) on Friday after the first official training.

"There is not much to say about this descent. Those who saw it on TV must have said to themselves that it was not a pretty sight", commented the 2017 Swiss world champion Beat Feuz .

"We're not having fun, but that doesn't change anything. Sunday, we'll have to give our all."

"I don't like the track at all, it's horrible. When you take turns at 20 km / h, it's not downhill. The top of the track is very fun and well laid out, the bottom too, but the middle section is a joke. Luckily there are going to be some adjustments by Sunday, "complained American Bryce Bennett.

In question, a particularly difficult passage in the middle of the course with a jump followed by a compression then two turns to the left and to the right.

As the passage cost many skiers off the track on Thursday on the super-G, the organizers tried to slow down the approach.

"I don't think anyone felt comfortable, there are almost giant curves to slow us down before a jump, I think they will modify the layout to give more speed", explained the vice - 2019 super-G world champion, Frenchman Johan Clarey.

"It's not easy for the organization either, they do with the available ground. The top is very beautiful, the bottom is very beautiful but this jump in the middle is very complicated to manage, like a wart. Too bad to have to have to. talk about it two days before a downhill at the Worlds. Whatever happens, there will be a world champion on Sunday, and the best will be in the game. "

Another black point denounced, the descenders have about 20 minutes of walking on the slope with some fairly steep stairs to get from the chairlift to the start.

"You have to take room to go up, it's tiring, your head is spinning. Going up I don't know how many stairs with ski pumps and the wetsuit that tightens your legs, it's not there 'ideal,' says Frenchman Maxence Muzaton.

“Would a 400m runner at the World Athletics Championships agree to do 25 minutes of vertical drop at 2,000m before his final?” Said his compatriot Matthieu Bailet.

The Italian Dominik Paris was the fastest in this first official training session (the second will take place on Saturday then the race on Sunday).

© 2021 AFP