World Cup Finals, France

[guessed]

Yes - what happened to my post ?

If Nope does not want quality official information posted as soon as it is available, then I'll not bother again !

[DIDSCO]

Shame the race was cancelled, would have been good world cup points for the girls especially.

[mharky]

I wonder what they do now...

[andy]

http://www.wcup2006.fr/index.php?url=photos.php#

a few pictures there, weather doesn't look unbearable...

not sure what they can do, run it later in the week? on Sunday?

[Duncan]

Some results / splits were coming through, so people had started before they decided to cancel. That probably means you can't reschedule it for another day as a fair and competitive world cup competition. Shame. I guess they just have to hope the weather is better for the remaining races...

[Duncan]

Word from the forest suggests the race was stopped primarily for safety reasons. An amazing forest apparently, but trees falling down everywhere! Pippa got told to stop at number 5. She says it is almost too dangerous to drive now, and they have no electricity.

[distracted]

La finale de la moyenne distance est reportée à VENDREDI matin !
The race taked back FRIDAY morning

Does this mean they are going to re-run it then? My French is a little rusty to say the least, and their translation isn't great - do they mean put back until?

[Adventure Racer]

I couldn't say my French is perfect, but pretty sure that means "The middle distance final will be moved to Friday morning".

Given some people had started their runs, presumably they can't run on the same course again? How quickly can you plan a new course to the required standard? For fairness they surely have to avoid the part of the area that some people have now run on?

[RJ]

Fascinating.... and we think we have problems!

Hard luck for the runners. Hope they get another go. So is that the day before the relays... for the rerun?

[FatBoy]

I think the best translation for "reportée" is deferred - so yes on Friday morning now. I presume they've got some serious course planning to do before then!

[RJ]

I think they quite often have reserve areas available for the big events, so it might not be that much of a problem.

However, I wonder what sort of a mess has been made of the other forests, and whether they will be safe now. Could be some windblow missing off the maps.... just like home....

[Patrick]

From the World Cup Portal on the IOF website...

14:19 - Tuesday, October 3
Severe storm - middle distance final abandoned

Today’s Middle Distance final in the World Cup was abandoned in mid-race because of a severe storm which was threatening runners’ safety.

Winds were beginning to gust up to more than 100 km per hour – storm force conditions – and with trees crashing down in the forest, flagpoles breaking at the arena and marquees and tents being blown away, it became obvious to everyone that it was unsafe to continue.

Quite a number of runners had already started their race when the decision was taken. Officials and coaches then got everyone out of the forest as quickly as possible.

It is hoped that a replacement race can be organised for Friday, which is a rest day in the original programme. Further information will be given in due course. The weather forecast is for continued very unsettled weather, but it is expected that the sprint races will go ahead tomorrow as scheduled.

Sounds exciting!

Patrick

[DIDSCO]

Looking at the map I doubt it would be too difficult to plan a new course, the fallen trees might be the problem. Perhaps they'll use another area.

If my memories right about 10 years ago at a world cup race a bridge got flooded right at the end of the course. The early competitors used it, the others had to run about 2km extra around....I got a feeling for some reason the race wasn't voided.

[DIDSCO]

The race has been rescheduled for Friday morning on the same area, but new courses.

The good thing for us is that the middle race will now be the World Cup final, so everyone who didn't qualify will get to run.

[rocky]

it was pretty crazy out there today, but i had never thought the race would be cancelled until peely rushed into the tent as i was putting my compass and si card on, though having seen the devastation sense it as the only sensible decision.

i went for a run from the hotel this afternoon instead and saw trees down all over the place, including on top of the fence round some tennis courts, and also the roof of a hotel was partially blown off as well.

it's totally calm now though, me and gg just enjoyed a round of minigolf. he beat me 2 and 1

the situation now is that tomorrow there will be just one race, a sraight final in the sprint. this is because the sprint qualification area was a very exposed plataeu. on thursday there will be the long distance as planned, though presumably with some new areas of windblow. as if the forests were not tough enough!

the World Cup final will now take place on friday, and will be a middle distance race in todays terrain. everyone will be allowed to run, which is a reprieve for our guys amoungst others, however some people who were not running the relay have booked flights on thursday evening...

and the power is back on here! we were worrying what to do with an evening with no laptops to watch films on!

its shaping up to be an exciting little week!

your correspondant,
murray strain,
up a volcano,
france