The virus played its games with Kitzbühel last week. Because the mutated variant was found in neighboring Jochberg, the slaloms were not allowed to take place on the weekend. Only on Sunday gave the Tyrolean governor the green light for the two downhill runs (Friday and Saturday) and the men’s Super-G (Sunday) next weekend.
The population tests in the Kitzbühel district have not led to any suspicion of further cases of the virus mutation, which is why the men’s alpine ski races are allowed to take place. Tyrol is currently the only federal state with a 7-day incidence below 100. The situation in Flachau, where two men’s slaloms took place at the weekend, is far worse. And where Markus Waldner, the chief director of the alpine ski men, gave a positive test. All of Waldner’s contacts were then tested negative again, the FIS announced on Monday.
His assistants, Emmanuel Couder and Hannes Trinkl, will represent the South Tyrolean Waldner at the Kitzbühel weekend. This is not the only reason why the safety precautions in Kitzbühel are extensive. Every employee is tested daily.
To start with, the snow is spoilsport
At the beginning of the week, the snow in Kitzbühel is more worrying than the virus. Michael Huber, President of the Kitzbühel Ski Club, says: “We have the snow and the weather under control, with the virus we are only passengers.”
In any case, the first official training planned for Tuesday was canceled. There is only one training opportunity on the Ochsalm. The first official training takes place on Wednesday at 11.30 a.m.
A weather-related cancellation would be far cheaper in Kitzbühel than a virus-related cancellation, you are insured against the weather, and no institute offers Covid insurance. What is certain is that there will be no “Cash Cow” Kitzbühel this year, because a lot of income will be lost, but corona-related additional costs will arise. The zero in the final bill would be a great success for the organizers in 2021.
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