Olympics
While many went prepared for the brutal cold at PyeongChang, South Korea, it’s the wind that is causing the most disruption at the Winter Olympics, reports businessinsider.
On Saturday, the men’s downhill skiing had to be postponed due to the wind. With gusts of up to 50 miles per hour, the gondolas could not safely bring skiers up the mountain.
Yesterday, the women’s giant slalom was also postponed because of high gusts.
Men’s downhill skiing was rescheduled for Wednesday, while women’s giant slalom has been rescheduled for Thursday. While organizers always plan in reserved days and backup schedules, further postponements could pose a huge problem for the Olympic schedule.
The postponement came after windy conditions made the men’s ski jump final run long, with the event hitting midnight in Pyeongchang before it had finished. Germany’s Andreas Wellinger eventually took gold.
The wind has also had an effect on the biathlon, having the biggest impact on the shooting portion of the event. On Saturday, in the women’s 7.5km sprint, only three of the 86 participants hit all ten targets in the shooting portion of the event.
“There was a lot of wind and the cold temperature, certainly not the easiest conditions,” Germany’s Laura Dahlmeier said after winning gold. “I had to stay focused and do the right things.”
Emily Dreissigacker of the US said she could feel the wind pushing the barrel of her rifle while shooting.
The wind is surely something every Olympian prepared for, but thus far, it’s proving to be a challenge even for the best athletes in the world.
