As of: January 29, 2024, 3:45 p.m
By: Christian Fellner
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After the successful men's races on the Kandahar in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, the women's World Cup is now falling flat: it is too warm for new snow.
Garmisch-Partenkirchen - The message makes OC boss Martina Betz sad: Shortly after the successful men's races on the Kandahar in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, the organizing committee of the Alpine World Cup has to cancel the women's competitions next weekend.
This decision was made on Monday morning (January 29th) in the presence of FIS race director Alberto Senigagliesi and after a tour of the Kreuzeck race track.
“The weather isn’t cooperating,” Betz regrets.
“It's getting too warm, we can't produce any new snow.” That's what we need in order to cover the fall areas with enough snow for a women's downhill run.
Because some of the large A networks are on brownfields.
Kandahar ice slope: The conditions are now too tough for the women after the extensive preparation for the men.
© OK Ski World Cup GAP
High temperatures do not allow slope preparation
One option would have been to do two Super-Gs instead of one downhill and one Super-G - in theory.
But that doesn't work either.
“The slope is now too demanding for that.” Sounds strange.
But, and Betz makes this clear: “The requirements for a men’s and a women’s course are very different.” Team Kandahar has given everything in the past few weeks to secure the men’s races last weekend.
But now the surface is too hard and too slippery to send the ladies onto the slopes with a clear conscience.
“The FIS and we at the OK did not want to take this risk.” There are enormous differences in preparation.
“To soften the track, we would have had to go in with the caterpillar.
But then we destroy the good foundation and would have needed new snow to prepare the piste for the women again.”
The OK doesn't have that because the temperatures will be far too high in the coming days.
“Unfortunately the weather report doesn’t play into our hands,” complains Betz.
Two or three days ago the meteorologists had predicted even colder, frosty nights.
But the forecasts have changed significantly.
It should be really warm, especially on the race weekend - without any frost at night.
“And if the snow cannons run for maybe an hour or two at night, that doesn’t help us.”
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The organizing committee “doesn’t approach it with a crowbar and then cancel”
So the early decision was made on Monday morning: Nothing is possible in Garmisch-Partenkirchen on the weekend.
“We don't do it with the Brechtsange only to have to cancel in the end.” After the men's show of strength, the women have to make room for the last remaining German World Cup place.
But it's just as hard for the men at the weekend: As is well known, they have to miss their two downhill runs in Chamonix.
A maximum of one slalom takes place there.
It was not yet clear at midday whether the Garmisch-Partenkirchen women's races would be replaced.
“Of course this is bitter for us,” emphasizes OK boss Martina Betz.
In 2023 the entire racing program was canceled, now it is back to 50 percent.
“Every cancellation gives you worry lines, financially it will be difficult for us again.” It’s just a good thing that the men’s competitions took place.
“Luckily we were able to show what we could do.”