I felt like a school kid (or teacher) waiting for that early morning notice that you could turn off the alarm, roll over and get some well-earned sleep. It had been rumored for days that the men’s downhill run was in jeopardy because of high winds. I went to bed pretty assured that I would get that alert on my phone that indeed the race would be postponed. So when my phone started dancing around my nightstand at 5:00 a.m. I eagerly grabbed it to see the good news. Instead I was met by “Emergency Alert” followed by a whole lot of Korean characters. It’s nice that they put the “Emergency Alert” part in English so you know there is some kind of an impending disaster. But the Korean part leaves you wondering whether our friends to the North might be sending something worth hiding under the bed about.
I still don’t know what all the fuss was about, but I do know that I had to get up at 5:30 and put on just about everything I own. Minus-12 was the windchill down here at the MPC, one could only speculate what that translated to a few thousand feet up on the mountain.
After breakfast with Doug Mills, he and I hopped on the TM5 for the hourlong journey to Jeongseon Alpine Center. Texts from the venue said the mountain was closed to all workers and athletes because of high winds. But it was also followed by, “You will be notified when the jury makes a decision about the race.” Gee thanks.
As we pulled into the parking lot, the final word came: Race Postponed. We got out of the bus so Doug could make some pictures of the whipping flags. I was nearly blown over. Gusts, we found out later, reached 60 mph., Wind chills were about minus-30.
I don’t own enough layers to handle that kind of cold.
I hopped back on the TM5 a happy man. Frostbite averted, and I would even have time to pick up my laundry. I didn’t really have a Plan B until Red Gerard won the gold in slopestyle. So we had a bit of fun with that, but it took up most of my day. That’s the picture above.
I have no such hopes about a cancellation tomorrow even though the winds and temps will be about the same. Mikaela Shiffrin will be in the giant slalom which begins at 10. That means in place on the mountain by 8, which also means up at 5 for the 6 o’clock bus.
The reason it is unlikely to be called off is that there are no jumps in the GS. It’s the jumps in the downhill that make the 60 mph so dangerous. And two runs in the GS, one in the morning, one on the afternoon. A long cold day ahead.
Update: As i’m sure you know by now the women’s giant slalom was postponed and rescheduled for Thursday (Korea Time).
They called it off about an hour after we arrived. Winds were gusting beyond 50 m.p.h.; they couldn’t even keep the flags on the gates.
Doug Mills and I did our best to keep warm.
Eat at Joe’s 
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