Poor ski conditions in Europe, and the resulting uncertainty surrounding upcoming World Cup races, have forced the US Ski Team to alter their plans for the next several weeks. They will now return to race in the United States, instead of staying in Europe.
The plans for next week's World Cup races in Cogne, Italy changed at least four times in the past week and the status is still unknown. In addition, the races the following weekend in France are also questionable at this point.
This is extremely hard on a team like the United States, which is trying to train and race effectively so far from home.
On the Team Today website, Head Coach Pete Vordenberg says:
.. after several meetings the team decided to come home to the USA, where the skiing is good, the training is great and where we will have races. For the sprint team this was an easy choice – their race was cancelled out-right. But for the distance team this was a tough choice. We have looked at these races as our top races of the early season. And now we are not going to race them (if they even take place). But all agreed in the end that the long term must take precedence over the possibility of racing in two races over the next three weeks while rollerskiing, running and skittering around on skis.
The US World Cup skiers will make their first United States appearance next week in Sun Valley.
For more:
http://teamtoday.org/Stories/tabid/391/ctl/Details/mid/763/ItemID/776/Default.aspx
