RISK FACTOR

High Winds Force Postponment of Men’s Downhill in Beijing 2022 Olympics

Unusually strong winds forced Beijing 2022 Olympic organizers to postpone the highly anticipated men’s downhill event on Sunday.

It’s not just COVID making this year’s Winter Games a challenge. Organizers in Beijing were forced to postpone Sunday’s premiere men’s downhill Alpine skiing competition due to high winds that added additional risk and a potential advantage if gusts proved to give skiers a push. The exhilarating competition includes jumps and turns at speeds around 90 mph without the wind. “We want the race to be fair. We want the best ski racer to be able to win on race day. I’m glad the organizing committee recognizes that,” American favorite Ryan Cochran-Siegle said in Beijing. “The wind is definitely a challenge, and I don’t think it’s going to completely go away. But there will hopefully be a better opportunity than there was today. I can definitely respect the decision that was made.”