The International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) announced today that the men’s downhill in Beaver Creek, Colorado, has been moved forward to Thursday, December 4, in response to an increasingly unstable weather forecast. The schedule change aims to “maximize the chances of delivering a successful race,” FIS said in a statement released Wednesday, December 3.
A decision regarding Saturday’s scheduled super-G will be made Thursday at 10:00 a.m. local time (18:00 CET), as officials continue to monitor weather models calling for deteriorating conditions later in the week.
- Related: Beaver Creek, CO, Secures Snow Control for 2025 Birds of Prey World Cup But Cuts 1 Downhill
The adjustment marks the latest in a series of weather-related challenges leading up to this year’s Stifel Birds of Prey Men’s Audi FIS Ski World Cup. On November 25, Beaver Creek secured positive snow control, allowing the local organizing committee (LOC) to proceed with preparations despite warm temperatures and delayed early-season snowmaking. Snow control was originally scheduled for November 21 but was pushed back due to insufficient coverage on key sections of the speed track.
As a result of the prevailing warm temperatures, the race program had already been trimmed: an additional downhill slated for Thursday, December 4, was removed last week so that organizers could focus resources on the main downhill on Friday, super-G, and giant slalom. The schedule then stood as downhill on December 5, super-G on December 6, and giant slalom on December 7—subject to snow conditions and potential return to the full track layout.
One of the downhill trainings ahead of the race has also been canceled. A minimum of one downhill training is compulsory to hold a downhill race under FIS rules. Downhill training took place on Tuesday, December 2, while a second one is currently underway. Tuesday’s fastest skier was Switzerland’s Marco Odermatt, while Canada’s Brodie Seger claimed a close second, just 0.40 seconds behind the 2024-25 Season Overall World Cup champion. Team USA’s fastest skier was Kyle Negomir in 19th place. Today’s training is still underway at the time of writing but at the moment, Canada’s Cameron Alexander had the fastest training run and Team USA’s Ryan Cochran-Siegle was fastest U.S. ski racer in ninth place, tying with Norway’s Aleksander Aamodt Kilde.
Today’s announcement effectively restores a Thursday downhill and cancel’s Friday’s downhill, though under different circumstances and strictly as a weather-contingency. U.S. fans keen to see the spectacular downhill on the Birds of Prey course at Beaver Creek will have to change their schedule last minute to attend.
The Birds of Prey course—designed by Olympic champion Bernhard Russi and in use since 1997—is regarded as one of the toughest speed tracks on the men’s circuit. With roughly 2,450 vertical feet (747 meters) of descent and notoriously technical sections like Pete’s Arena and The Abyss, it demands both power and precision from racers. Warm early-season temperatures across Colorado had already forced modified starts and finishes this year to ensure course safety. The race finish has been amended for the race weekend, with the race finish slightly higher, above the spectators’ area. Skiers will ski down to the spectators after crossing the higher finish line. Although recent cooler nights have allowed snowmaking crews to bolster the surface, incoming storms and rising temperatures later this week threaten window-of-opportunity reliability, prompting FIS to move the downhill to the earliest viable day.
Despite the competition schedule shift, public events in Beaver Creek Village remain unaffected. For event information, visit the Beaver Creek World Cup website.
