Alpine skiing-Bad weather wipes out world championships for second day

The men's Alpine Combined, consisting of a super-G and a slalom, and women's downhill training is scheduled for Wednesday. The women's and men's downhills are scheduled for Saturday and Sunday respectively before the technical disciplines next week.

Bad weather thwarted attempts to start the Alpine skiing world championships for the second day in a row on Tuesday with the women's super-G called off due to fog.

The skiers were kept waiting as fog shrouded the upper parts of the Olympia delle Tofane piste, with the race director lowering the start to the Duca d'Aosta jump. Even that proved to be impossible and, an hour and half after the race had been due to start, the decision was taken to reschedule.

The race would have been the first super-G in more than a year for defending world champion Mikaela Shiffrin of the United States, who has focused solely on the technical disciplines so far this season. The weather in the Italian Dolomites resort has given organisers and teams a headache, with Monday's opening women's Combined postponed until the following Monday, a scheduled rest day, due to heavy overnight snow.

The men's super-G originally planned for Tuesday had already been rescheduled to Thursday. The men's Alpine Combined, consisting of a super-G and a slalom, and women's downhill training is scheduled for Wednesday.

The women's and men's downhills are scheduled for Saturday and Sunday respectively before the technical disciplines next week. The speed events, which are more vulnerable to weather conditions, take place in the opening week to allow time for rescheduling. (Writing by Alan Baldwin in London, editing by Ed Osmond and Christian Radnedge)