Milano/Cortina, Cultus Lake(with files from CBC/Canadian Press/Sportsnet/CityNews/Toronto Star ) Olympic rules are always scrutinized. This FVN reported has covered two Olympics (1988 Calgary and 2010 Vancouver) and has heard this before. Some of it well justified.
CBC posted : It was an unexpected early end for Canada’s men’s ski cross team at the Milano Cortina Olympic Winter Games on Saturday in Livigno, Italy.
All four of Canada’s entries did not advance past the quarterfinals – including reigning World Cup Crystal Globe winner Reece Howden, who wasn’t shy about sharing his frustration with the conditions of the course in an interview with CBC ‘s Kelly VanderBeek.
“Honestly, like, the weather is ridiculous. It is a joke,” Howden said after the competition. “I bet you – I don’t know what the times are, but it’s gotta be, like, 10 to 15 seconds slower. It’s a completely different course.
Note FIS and IOC rules and protocol can range wildly.
“If I waited four years for this [event], I’ll wait for another four because this is a joke.”
Heavy snow fell during the heats and that complicated racing conditions, including slow areas outside of the main lip of the course and had athletes struggling to clear the jumps.
“It’s snowing so hard, and it’s just, the track is dead slow…Yeah, this is an absolute joke. I, honestly, at this point, I’m happy I’m not involved in this race, ’cause this is ridiculous. Like, this is not ski cross,” Howden said.
Canadian Press reported:The 27-year-old from Chilliwack, B.C., who is on track to win his fourth Crystal Globe as the FIS ski cross season champion, left the field in his tracks in the morning seeding run — finishing first by 0.99 seconds over his nearest competitor.
But the course, not the fastest to begin with, slowed as wet snow fell during the early afternoon knockout rounds. After Howden won his first four-man heat, it all went south as he finished fourth in his quarterfinal.
Only the top two advance.
Weather and conditions were also an issue at the 2022 Beijing games.
The 2030 Games are in the French Alps.
Locally, friends and family in Cultus Lake are taking the loss in stride.
Barb Presseau took to Facebook: Although Reece dominated the training runs and won the 1/8 final, he had a little mishap in the 1/4 final, so no podium. Reece will be saying, “its ok, its just 1 race. I’ll be back on the World Cup tour in March, trying for the all-important Crystal Globe.”
STILL SO VERY PROUD OF HIM!!
Christine Howden Thompson: Sad for him but still could not be more proud.
