Winter Olympics suffers huge delays as blizzards cause mayhem to schedule in Italy
A severe blizzard sweeping through Cortina has thrown the Winter Olympics into disarray, forcing a 25-minute delay to Team GB’s crucial women’s curling clash with Italy on Thursday.
Sophie Jackson’s squad, who had been due to begin their must-win encounter at 2.05pm local time, arrived late at the Cortina Curling Centre after struggling to navigate treacherous roads from the Athletes Village.
The storm, which has dumped approximately three feet of snow since Wednesday evening, created significant transport problems affecting all Games-related vehicles.
Both the British and Italian teams experienced difficulties reaching the venue as conditions deteriorated across the region.
BBC presenter Hazel Irvine, leading coverage of the event, described the chaotic scenes as the British women finally reached the arena.
She reported: “Obviously, it’s a few kilometres up to the Athletes Village and, believe me, the roads are absolutely stacked with snow at the moment. There’s not much moving in and around Cortina.”
Former Team GB skier Chemmy Alcott, 43, expressed astonishment at the severity of the weather, noting she had visited the area annually for a quarter of a century.
Alcott said: “We rarely get snow coming in and sticking on the roads. Even the locals are struggling to drive, so it’s carnage out there.”
A severe blizzard sweeping through Cortina has thrown the Winter Olympics into disarray
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REUTERS
The extreme conditions also forced organisers to postpone the men’s freeski halfpipe competition, rescheduling it for Friday on safety grounds.
Team GB athletes Gus Kenworthy and Liam Richards had been set to compete in the event before the decision was taken.
Several other disciplines fell victim to the weather, with men’s aerials and ski cross training sessions also cancelled.
Concerns are mounting that additional events may face disruption if the blizzard continues.
The storm has dumped approximately three feet of snow since Wednesday evening
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REUTERS
Alcott emphasised the mental resilience required from competitors facing such uncertainty.
He said: “This is the athlete life. You’ve got to be prepared.
“When they say go, you can get ready to heighten your focus.”
Bruce Mouat’s men’s rink, having secured their place in the last four, were informed their semi-final encounter with Switzerland would similarly be pushed back by 25 minutes to 6.35pm.
An International Olympic Committee spokesman acknowledged the challenges posed by the conditions
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REUTERS
An International Olympic Committee spokesman acknowledged the challenges posed by the conditions.
He said: “Snow is an occupational hazard for winter sports. The federations are used to dealing with delays or bad weather.
“It is something we have to work with.”
For Jackson’s team, currently languishing in sixth position in the standings, victory against the Italians remains essential if they harbour any hopes of reaching the semi-finals, though they also require favourable results elsewhere.
