. world ski news : Men's World Cup downhill canceled due to heavy snowfall at Val d'Isere - 02 February 2008 - 18:08
VAL D'ISERE, France (AP) -- The men's World Cup downhill was canceled because of heavy snowfall Saturday.
Officials called off the race after course workers were unable to prepare the Face de Bellevarde piste for the event.
"We couldn't use the snowplows without damaging the piste,'' Val d'Isere organizational committee head Emmanuel Couder said in a statement. "We therefore decided to concentrate our efforts on the courses of the super-combined.''
The super-combined is still scheduled to be held Sunday.
The downhill could be moved to Kvitfjell, Norway, later in the season.
Bode Miller of the United States leads the super-combined standings with 310 points, followed by Jean-Baptiste Grange of France with 220 points.
The Val d'Isere resort will host the 2009 alpine skiing world championships.
AP-ES-02-02-08 0645EST
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