The official opening ceremony is only on Friday, but the competition has already kicked off at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics. Wednesday's scheduled included the first alpine skiing training session and the start of the round robin in the curling mixed doubles - which was affected by a technical glitch.
The official opening ceremony is only on Friday, but the competition has already kicked off at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics.
Wednesday's scheduled included the first alpine skiing training session and the start of the round robin in the curling mixed doubles - which was affected by a technical glitch.
During the first matches, the lights suddenly went out at the Cortina Curling Olympic stadium and the electronic scoreboard also had issues.
There was confusion among the athletes, who looked at each other questioningly.
Two female curlers passed the time by mimicking an air guitar with their brooms.
When the lights came back on after about five minutes, the spectators applauded, and the curling teams responded with laughter.
The stadium in the winter sports resort was originally built in 1955 for the Winter Games the following year.
Cochran-Siegle tops downhill training, Möller crashes
Beijing 2022 super-g silver medallist Ryan Cochran-Siegle was the fastest on Wednesday in the first official men's downhill training, clocking 1 minute 56.08 seconds.
Top favourite Marco Odermatt of Switzerland was third, while team-mate Franjo von Allmen, who the last World Cup downhill before the Olympics in Crans-Montana, was seventh.
Former world champion Vincent Kriechmayr of Austria was sixth.
During training, Norwegian ski racer Frederik Möller suffered a heavy crash and had to be removed from the piste by helicopter.
Team doctor Trond Floberghagen said that Möller dislocated his shoulder, but added that it's too early to say whether or not he will continue competing at the Games.
The men's downhill medal event is on Saturday in Bormio.
The women's downhill training scheduled for Thursday, however, was cancelled due to persistent snowfall.
The cancellation will give US superstar Lindsey Vonn more time to recover after a crash last Friday at the World Cup downhill in Crans-Montana.
The 41-year-old revealed on Tuesday that she ruptured the cruciate ligament in her left knee, damaged her meniscus and sustained bruises, but she hasn't given up on her Olympics dream.
Category: General Sports
