Men's World Cup Skiing Opener in Austria Canceled Due to Strong Winds

Race cancellation marks third time in seven years due to strong winds; rescheduled date and venue yet to be announced.

Strong winds caused the cancellation of the Men's World Cup giant slalom ski event in Soelden, Austria, after 47 of the 73 competing skiers had started their first run.
The International Ski and Snowboard Federation issued the cancellation due to extreme wind conditions and to ensure safety and fairness to all competitors.
This event has been cancelled three times in the past seven years due to strong winds. The rescheduled date and new venue for this year's race are expected to be announced soon.
At the time of cancellation, Austrian skier Marco Schwarz, who had dreams of competing for the overall World Cup title, was leading the race. Schwarz could have been the first Austrian winner of the race since 2014.
An hour before the race, climate activists from the Last Generation movement blocked the only mountain road up to the glacier, however, this did not affect the skiers.