Strong Winds on Matterhorn Mountain Force Another Cancellation of Women's World Cup Downhill Race

Alpine Skiing - FIS Alpine Ski World Cup - Women's Downhill - Cervinia, Italy - November 18, 2023 A stop sign is pictured infront of Matterhorn mountain as the race is cancelled REUTERS/Leonhard Foeger
Alpine Skiing - FIS Alpine Ski World Cup - Women's Downhill - Cervinia, Italy - November 18, 2023 A stop sign is pictured infront of Matterhorn mountain as the race is cancelled REUTERS/Leonhard Foeger
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Strong Winds on Matterhorn Mountain Force Another Cancellation of Women's World Cup Downhill Race

Alpine Skiing - FIS Alpine Ski World Cup - Women's Downhill - Cervinia, Italy - November 18, 2023 A stop sign is pictured infront of Matterhorn mountain as the race is cancelled REUTERS/Leonhard Foeger
Alpine Skiing - FIS Alpine Ski World Cup - Women's Downhill - Cervinia, Italy - November 18, 2023 A stop sign is pictured infront of Matterhorn mountain as the race is cancelled REUTERS/Leonhard Foeger

Persistent strong winds on the Matterhorn mountain wiped out another women’s World Cup downhill Sunday, a day after gusts forced the cancellation of the first speed race of the season.
Organizers delayed the start time twice but called off the event as conditions failed to improve.
The International Ski and Snowboard Federation said the race jury and local organizers canceled the downhill “due to strong wind gusts” making a fair and safe race impossible.
Saturday’s race was postponed and then canceled as the ski lifts could not be operated in the early morning and the winds made conditions too dangerous for a race.
It was not immediately clear if or when the races would be rescheduled.

The wind had already reduced training opportunities during the week, with only one of three scheduled sessions taking place on Thursday.
The downhills were the first women’s races to be canceled this season, after a giant slalom in Austria and two slaloms in Finland took place as scheduled.
Defending overall champion Mikaela Shiffrin, who won a slalom in Levi a week ago for her 89th career World Cup win, leads the standings.



Saudi Arabia’s Participation in Paris Olympics Part of Quality of Life Program, Al-Bakr Says

The efforts of the sports system have combined to achieve the strategic goal assigned by Vision 2030 to the Quality of Life Program. (SPA)
The efforts of the sports system have combined to achieve the strategic goal assigned by Vision 2030 to the Quality of Life Program. (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia’s Participation in Paris Olympics Part of Quality of Life Program, Al-Bakr Says

The efforts of the sports system have combined to achieve the strategic goal assigned by Vision 2030 to the Quality of Life Program. (SPA)
The efforts of the sports system have combined to achieve the strategic goal assigned by Vision 2030 to the Quality of Life Program. (SPA)

CEO of Saudi Arabia’s Quality of Life Program Khalid bin Abdullah Al-Bakr said on Friday the Kingdom’s participation in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games is part of integrated and comprehensive efforts to build a distinguished future for the sports sector in the Kingdom.

This will help reach the goals of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 in achieving sports excellence and building a vital and stimulating sports sector for young Saudi men and women.

Al-Bakr said the participation reflects the support of the country’s wise leadership for the sports sector, as well as the efforts made by the Ministry of Sports and the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee to develop the sector under the supervision of Sports Minister and Chairman of the Olympic and Paralympic Committee Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki bin Faisal.

The efforts of the sports system have combined to achieve the strategic goal assigned by Vision 2030 to the Quality of Life Program, which is “achieving excellence in several sports regionally and globally” by launching several initiatives on supporting and empowering Saudi athletes and contributing to increasing the number of athletes participating in the Olympic Games.

Since its launch in 2018, the program has offered many initiatives to develop the sports sector, Al-Bakr said. He cited the Elite Athletes Development Program, which trained and empowered Saudi players participating in the Paris Olympics, in addition to initiatives concerned with supporting and empowering women to contribute to the sports system, the Saudi Games, and building sports academies, including the establishment of Mahd Academy.

The program seeks to discover, develop, and support sports talents with the aim of creating a sports generation capable of competing in and representing the Kingdom in various regional and international events, he added.