Olympic downhill training in Bormio plagued by snow, fog and crashes
The women's downhill training in Bormio ahead of the 2026 Olympics faced repeated delays due to heavy snow and thick fog. Only three skiers completed their runs before another interruption. Organisers halted the session early when Ilka Štuhec crashed at the start, though she avoided serious injury. When racing resumed, just Federica Brignone, Ariane Rädler, and Nina Ortlieb managed to begin before visibility worsened again. Ortlieb later admitted frustration after skiing blind into a wall of fog mid-run. Most racers criticised the tricky conditions, with many complaining the soft snow made the track unusually slow. Despite this, Jacqueline Wiles posted the fastest time of the session. Meanwhile, Lindsey Vonn—recovering from a recent ACL tear—finished 11th and showed no obvious signs of discomfort. In the men's final downhill training, the majority of skiers took a cautious approach. James Crawford was the exception, recording the quickest time of the day. The Swiss women's team had a particularly tough outing, with none breaking into the top 20. The disrupted training leaves athletes with limited time to adapt before the women's downhill race on February 8. Poor visibility and soft snow have already forced multiple pauses, raising concerns about conditions for the competition. No details have been released about weather forecasts or how piste crews are preparing the course.
