Women’s downhill begins at Lake Louise after power outage

LAKE LOUISE, Alberta (AP) – A power outage at the Lake Louise ski resort has caused a 75-minute delay to the start of a women’s World Cup downhill.

A resort spokesman says a power line to the resort failed.

The World Cup skiers and the public were stranded on lifts for about 30 minutes before backup power kicked in. But with the chair lifts and gondolas then at a standstill, the World Cup skiers, coaches and course workers were towed up the mountain by snowcat vehicles.

Lindsey Vonn, of the United State, gets into a snowcat for a ride up the mountain after a power failure shut down all operations prior to the women’s World Cup downhill race in Lake Louise, Alberta, on Saturday, Dec. 2, 2017. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)

The women started at a lower point on the mountain, shortening the course by about 460 meters.

Says Resort spokesman Dan Markham: “We cannot get people up the hill on backup power, but if you can get them up the hill, you can run a race.”

Austria’s Cornelia Huetter won the season-opening downhill Friday at the resort. A super-G is set for Sunday.

Lindsey Vonn, of the United States, sits in the passenger seat of a snowcat as it pulls racers up the mountain after a power failure shut down all operations prior to the women's World Cup downhill race in Lake Louise, Alberta, on Saturday, Dec. 2, 2017. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP)

Lindsey Vonn, of the United States, sits in the passenger seat of a snowcat as it pulls racers up the mountain after a power failure shut down all operations prior to the women’s World Cup downhill race in Lake Louise, Alberta, on Saturday, Dec. 2, 2017. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP)

Lindsey Vonn, of the United States, sits in the passenger seat of a snowcat as it pulls racers up the mountain after a power failure shut down all operations prior to the women's World Cup downhill race in Lake Louise, Alberta, on Saturday, Dec. 2, 2017. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)

Lindsey Vonn, of the United States, sits in the passenger seat of a snowcat as it pulls racers up the mountain after a power failure shut down all operations prior to the women’s World Cup downhill race in Lake Louise, Alberta, on Saturday, Dec. 2, 2017. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)

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