Storm threatens to disrupt Games opening

Press, 9 February 1984, Page 36

Storm threatens to disrupt Games opening

NZPA special correspondent

Sarajevo

A severe snow storm which is quickly moving across central Europe is threatening to disrupt the opening cermony of the fourteenth Winter Olympics in Sarajevo early this morning (N.Z. time).

While organisers of the ceremony, which will be held in the 50,000 seat Kosevo Stadium are hopeful that the storm will miss Sarajevo, the two alpine venues to the north of the city desperately need more snow. Both Jahorina, where the women’s event will be held, and' Bjalasnica, venue for the men, have been experiencing unusually high temperatures for this time of year and a thick snow cover which has produced excellent ski-ing in recent weeks is quickly melting leaving icy conditions on the two courses, as overnight temperatures drop well below freezing level. Despite the conditions the two downhill competitors in the New Zealand men’s team, Bruce Grant, of Queenstown, and Marcus Hubrich, of Wellington, have looked impressive in the three training runs held on the 3000 metre long course. Grant yesterday recorded thirty-fourth fastest time in the field of 77 starters, only 4.5 seconds behind Switzerland’s Pirmlin Zurbriggen — the fastest qualifer to date. Hubrich, who turned 21 on Monday, is less than a second behind Grant in fortieth position. The New Zealand men’s coach, Hans Uli, is confident that both skiers can improve on their times in the remaining two training runs before the event is run on

Saturday morning (N.Z. time). “There has been a marked improvement in both their times since they arrived here and if there is fresh snow before the event then I think a placing in the top 25 is very likely,” Mr Uli said. He regards the course as a technically demanding one and believes fresh snow would help competitors starting in positions between 20 and 40 considerably as the course firms up. The men’s downhill is the glamour event of the six alpine titles to be decided at Sarajevo and the first half dozen places look wide open. The fastest qualifier to date, Zurbriggen, is a newcomer to downhill racing, having specialised for the last two years in the giant slalom event, while the second fastest qualifier, Bill Johnson, of the United States, is also new to the event with only one season on the World Cup circuit. The New Zealand women’s team of Kate Rattray, of Christchurch, and Christine Grant, of Queenstown, will compete on Sunday morning (N.Z. time) in the women’s downhill. Both skiers have experienced difficulties this week in training runs on the Jahorina course which is extremely icy after strong winds in the areas have blown away a considerable amount of snow cover. Grant was one of the

skiers disqualified in timed practice yesterday for missing gates on the short 2000 metre course but the women’s coach, Bob Cowan, hopes that both Grant and Rattray can improve their times on the course, which is regarded as one of the toughest in Europe. The New Zealand women are two of a very small group who have not skied on the course before this week and this is proving a big handicap for them, according to Cowan. “The course has several high speed bumps in it and these are causing difficulties for the girls, but I think with another two training runs they will have overcome any problems and produce good results in the race itself,” Mr Cowan said. The two remaining members of the team, Simon Wi Rutene, of Rotorua, and Matthias Hubrich, of Wellington, will not compete until later next week — Wi Rutene in the giant slalom and Hubrich in the slalom.

Matthias Hubrich is the only member of the team with an injury at present. A slightly strained ankle, however, is not expected to cause any difficulties in his event which is another twelve days away.

All six competitors and four team officials will march in the opening ceremony, with Marcus Hubrich carrying the national flag.