Reece Howden Criticizes Poor Conditions in Olympic Men’s Ski Cross Final
The Milano Cortina Olympic Winter Games faced an unexpected twist for Canada’s men’s ski cross team. All four athletes failed to progress beyond the quarterfinals, including Reece Howden, the reigning World Cup Crystal Globe champion. Following the competition held in Livigno, Italy, Howden expressed his dissatisfaction with the course conditions.
Reece Howden’s Frustration with Course Conditions
In an interview with CBC’s Kelly VanderBeek, Howden criticized the weather and course quality. “Honestly, like, the weather is ridiculous. It is a joke,” he stated, suggesting the racing times were significantly slower than expected.
“If I waited four years for this [event], I’ll wait for another four because this is a joke,” he added, highlighting the heavy snowfall and challenging conditions that impacted the race.
Challenges Faced by Competitors
- Heavy snow created slow areas on the course.
- Athletes struggled to clear jumps effectively.
- Many competitors faced similar frustrations regarding visibility and speed.
Howden explained that the snow made the track “dead slow,” making the conditions unsuitable for ski cross. He believed that athletes should not compete under such circumstances.
Details of the Quarterfinals
The day began positively for Howden, who recorded the fastest time in the seeding round. He performed well in his 1/8 final heat, winning comfortably. However, his fortune changed in the quarterfinals.
Howden was initially in second place but lost speed after being crowded by Italy’s Federico Tomasoni. This ultimately resulted in a fourth-place finish, marking the end of his Olympic journey.
Other Canadian Competitors
- Kevin Drury from Toronto also reached the quarterfinals but finished fourth.
- Jared Schmidt from Ottawa was penalized and ranked as last after initially finishing second in his heat.
- Gavin Rowell from Prince George did not advance, finishing fourth in his 1/8 final.
The men’s ski cross event concluded with Italy’s Simone Deromedis winning gold, followed by compatriot Tomasoni in silver and Alex Fiva from Switzerland securing bronze.
Howden’s strong performances prior to the quarterfinals underline the impact of unforeseen circumstances on Olympic competitions and point to a need for better management of conditions for future events.
