CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy – Olympic organizers announced the cancellation of the inaugural downhill skiing training session for the 2026 Winter Games on Wednesday, citing severe weather conditions impacting the Italian Dolomites. Persistent heavy snowfall and unfavorable forecasts prompted Milan-Cortina officials to scrap Thursday’s scheduled training run.
The cancelled session was intended as the first of three preparatory trainings ahead of Sunday’s women’s alpine downhill race, which marks the opening event of the Olympic skiing competition. While Friday and Saturday sessions on Cortina’s Olimpia delle Tofane course remain tentatively scheduled, meteorological predictions indicate continued precipitation throughout the region.
This weather-induced disruption presents particular challenges for elite athletes including American skier Lindsey Vonn, who requires at least one official training session to qualify for Sunday’s competition. Vonn’s participation ambitions follow her recent crash during the World Cup downhill in Crans-Montana, where she sustained a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament. Despite this significant injury, the champion skier maintains her determination to compete for Olympic medals in Cortina.
Organizers continue monitoring conditions closely as they balance athlete safety with competition requirements. The situation highlights the inherent challenges of hosting winter sports events in alpine environments, where meteorological factors frequently influence scheduling and athletic preparation.