2014 Winter Olympics: Safety fears halt downhill ski training in Sochi
Ladies’ downhill skiing practice was delayed due to concerns.
Ezra Shaw
James Dator has been covering a wide range of sports for SB Nation for over a decade, with a special focus on the NFL.
Concerns for athlete safety came into sharp contract for the second time in as many days, delaying the training run of the Ladies’ Downhill on Thursday.
Laurenne Ross of Team USA was one of three athletes to attempt a descent at the Rosa Khutor Alpine Resort before a stoppage, calling her attempt “intimidating,” according to a report from Reuters. The session was halted for roughly an hour, allowing grounds crews to reduce the size of a hump nearing the finish line.
The course remained treacherous following the delay, with Ross explaining why the Sochi course is so difficult.
“You just get really high off the ground, the slope just drops off and you’re still going straight and that’s the problem because you feel like you’re just not going to come down.”
Safety concerns caused Shaun White to withdraw from the Men’s Slopestyle event in Sochi to concentrate on the half-pipe event. It’s unclear whether the concern over the Alpine track will manifest as a problem with competition begins, but athletes are trying to mitigate the fast speeds and sheer drops along the course.
More on the Winter Olympics:
• Hockey: Men’s schedule | All 12 men’s rosters | USA roster analysis
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