Winter Olympics falls into chaos in Beijing after REAL SNOW falls, leading to disruption of events including slopestyle skiing featuring British medal hopeful Kirsty Muir
- Several inches of snow fell inside 24 hours leading to event cancellations at Winter Olympic Games in Beijing
- Women’s slopestyle skiing qualifiers were delayed, then put back until Monday due to the snowfall on Sunday
- The courses were already covered in artificial snow in place for the Olympics but real snowfall caused chaos
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There was disruption at the Winter Olympics on Sunday – because of an outbreak of real snow.
Among the criticisms of these Games has been the reliance on 100 per cent fake snow, owing to the lack of precipitation in the region, which typically receives less than one inch of snow per month in winter.
But a blizzard hit over the weekend, leading to the cancellation of events as several inches fell in the space of just 24 hours.
There was disruption at the Winter Olympics on Sunday because of real snow. Pictured: Canada’s Marion Thenault takes part in a practice session ahead of freestyle skiing event
Pictured: Skiiers attempt to clear the snow from the course ahead of the freestyle skiing women’s aerials qualification at the Genting Snow Park A & M Stadium in Zhangjiakou
Pictured: Flavie Aumond of Canada during a practise jump for the Women’s Freestyle Skiing Aerials qualification at the Zhangjiakou Genting Snow Park at the Beijing 2022 Olympic Games
The women’s slopestyle skiing was postponed on Sunday due to an outbreak of real snow
Volunteers at Genting Snow Park tried desperately to clear the course of the snow
Addition of real snow on top of artificial snow created hazardous conditions for competitors
In Zhangjiakou, at the Genting Snow Park, the women’s slopestyle skiing qualifiers were delayed and then put back until Monday because of the heavy snow.
British medal hope, Kirsty Muir, who was fifth in the Big Air, is due to compete, along with Katie Summerhayes.
The second day of women’s downhill practise at the National Alpine Ski Centre in Yanqing was also scrapped, but the men’s giant slalom went ahead.
People walk through snowfall ahead of the freestyle skiing women’s aerials qualification during the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games at the Genting Snow Park A & M Stadium
The logo for the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games is displayed as snow falls ahead of the freestyle skiing women’s aerials qualification at the Genting Snow Park A & M Stadium
Visibility also became an issue at the venue leading to delays of some events until Monday
A paramedic gives aid to injured Elisa Maria Nakab of Italy during warm up before the event
British medal hopeful Kirsty Muir is hopeful of medalling in the slopestyle event
With the runs and courses already covered in the more icy artificial snow, the new layers of fresh snow made the surfaces hazardous and unstable.
Visibility also became an issue.
The International Olympic Committee said ‘thousands of staff’ had been scrambled to clear snow off competition areas.
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