World Cup Skeleton Races Canceled, Euro Champs Rescheduled

From Königssee, GER

(Jan. 10, 2019) – Due to heavy snow that has continued to fall in since the prior week’s FIL World Cup stop, the IBSF World Cup skeleton races scheduled for Friday, January 11 in Königssee have been canceled.

The cancellation means a rescheduling both of a World Cup stop and the European Championships that were to be held on the Bavarian track. The European Championships have been rescheduled to next week’s race in Igls, while the IBSF World Cup races could be made up at a different time, likely as a double race during an already-scheduled race weekend.

The southern district of Berchtesgaden (where Königssee is located) was placed under a disaster alert on Thursday. In a release sent out on Thursday evening, the IBSF said that due to the prior snowfall and weather forecast for Thursday night into Friday morning “we cannot guarantee the safety of the athletes”.

Snow on the roof of the sliding track is a major safety concern to the athletes, and the amount continuing to pile up around the German track. Plans have already been made to clear out 3,000 square meters of snow on Friday in preparation of the weekend’s bobsled races, which are still set to be held as planned.