Alpine skiing-Weather forces three-day wipeout at world championships

The women's race will be 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 men's Alpine Combined, consisting of a super-G and a slalom, will now also take place on Monday, Feb. 15 with times to be announced.

The Alpine skiing world championships in Cortina d'Ampezzo faced a three-day wipeout after fog forced the postponement of the women's super-G on Tuesday and organisers called off Wednesday's men's Combined.

Heavy snow in the Italian resort had already forced the postponement for a week of Monday's opening women's Combined. The women were kept waiting on Tuesday 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 to Thursday -- ahead of the men's super-G already postponed from Tuesday. The women's race will be 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 men's Alpine Combined, consisting of a super-G and a slalom, will now also take place on Monday, Feb. 15 with times to be announced. The women's and men's downhills remain 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)