[ o ] Buchholz/FIS

HARRACHOV, CZE, 24 FEB 2013 – The AUDI FIS Freestyle ski cross World Cup in Harrachov, CZE, has been cancelled due to what amounted to a perfect storm of heavy snow, warming temperatures, rain, and wind.

FIS Freestyle Race Director Joe Fitzgerald stated, “Despite an immense amount of work and effort from organizers, officials, volunteers, and teams alike, it has been deemed impossible to run a safe, fair, and successful event due to the current weather conditions. FIS Freestyle would like to thank the people of Harrachov for hosting the Audi World Cup ski cross tour this week, and to express our regret at being forced to come to this decision.

"It's disappointing for everyone invloved."

Jury, organizers, coaches, and athlete representatives came together this morning to agree on the decision to cancel the event based on the morning weather and track conditions coupled with a weather forecast that called for wind and rain to only increase throughout the day.

While 2012-13 has been a difficult year for the ski cross World Cup tour, with adverse weather or other unforeseen circumstances affecting the program at nearly every race, this is the first – and hopefully only – cancelled race thus far this season.

The tour now moves to Voss, Norway, for the Freestyle Skiing World Championships, with ski cross slated to close out the event on the 10th of March. The next World Cup ski cross event will be held in Are, Sweden, with back-to-back races schedued for the 16th and 17th of March.

Again, FIS Freestyle would like to thank everyone involved for their efforts in trying to make the Harrachov event a success.

We now look forward to the Voss/Oslo 2013 Freestyle World Championships.

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