UPDATE: Due to unsafe wind conditions, the men's downhill has been postponed. News on rescheduling is still to come.
The high-octane men’s downhill competition leads off Alpine skiing at the 2022 Winter Olympics and NBCOlympics.com will have live updates as the action unfolds.
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43 of the world’s fastest men on skis are prepared to attack “The Rock” downhill course with Olympic gold on the line. The two-mile long, half-mile tall course built specifically for the 2022 Games is shaping up to potentially host the fastest downhill race in Olympic history. Each athlete will get one attempt down the mountain in order to set the fastest time.
Among those expected to vie for the gold medal are a pair of Swiss skiers in two-time Olympic medalist Beat Feuz, along with 24-year-old rising star Marco Odermatt. The prevailing favorite, though, is Norway’s top-ranked downhill specialist Aleksander Aamodt Kilde. Kilde, whose girlfriend is American superstar Mikaela Shiffrin, logged the best time across all three official training sessions at 1:43.72 (the third training session was cancelled after just three skiers due to unsafe wind conditions).
SEE MORE: How to watch the Alpine skiing men’s downhill at the 2022 Winter Olympics
Three Americans, Bryce Bennett, Ryan Cochran-Siegle and Travis Ganong, all enter as dark horse podium hopefuls. Of the three, Bennett is arguably the most intriguing. The 6-foot-7 Californian picked up the first World Cup downhill win by an American in five years in December when he clocked the best time in Val Gardena, Italy.
Coverage of the men’s downhill was scheduled to begin at 10 p.m. ET, though the start time has been delayed at least an hour due to unsafe wind conditions. Follow along with the LIVE BLOG below for further updates.
LIVE BLOG
12:03 a.m. ET – Race postponed
The organizing committee and race directors determined that wind conditions would not improve in time to stage the men's downhill event. The competition has been officially postponed to an unspecified date.
11:55 p.m. ET – RCS dozes off
There are many ways to wait out a weather delay, but Team USA's Ryan Cochran-Siegle seems to have found the best one: Find a warm spot indoors and catch some Z's.
View social media post: https://twitter.com/usskiteam/status/1490186885641248771
11:05 p.m. ET – Delay extended again
Race officials have extended the delay of the men's downhill for a second time, now to 1 a.m. ET as high winds persist.
10:01 p.m. ET – Delay extended to midnight ET at earliest
Unsafe wind conditions continue to persist on the Rock course. Race officials have decided to further delay the start time of the men's downhill to 1 p.m. local time, midnight ET. "The next hour is going to be very important," referee Markus Waldner announced to the athletes. Another assessment will be made in a hour.
9:15 p.m. ET – Men’s downhill start time delayed
High winds in the area have delayed the event’s start time until 11 p.m. ET at the earliest, race officials announced.
View social media post: https://twitter.com/usskiteam/status/1490147242208071682
9:00 p.m. ET – Start list released
The men’s down hill start list can be found HERE. Team USA’s Bryce Bennett will lead things off wearing bib No. 1.