Kriechmayr could miss Wengen downhills after positive test

VIENNA – Double world champion Vincent Kriechmayr is in danger of missing the two men’s World Cup downhills in Wengen on Friday and Saturday because he tested positive for COVID-19, one month ahead of the Beijing Olympics.

Kriechmayr, who won the classic race on the Lauberhorn course in 2019, was absent from the first training Tuesday because he was still quarantining, a spokesman for the Austrian ski federation said.

“We hope Austrian authorities will release Vincent from quarantine. But it is unclear when that will happen,” ÖSV spokesman Markus Aichner said in an email to The Associated Press.

If Kriechmayr also misses the second training on Wednesday, he will not be allowed to enter the downhill races. Each skier must take part in at least one official training to be eligible to race.

Kriechmayr’s name appeared on the official start list for the second training, released by FIS on Tuesday evening.

The Austrian ski team said Kriechmayr was in Austria awaiting another test result on Wednesday.

If the result is negative and he can end the quarantine, Kriechmayr would then travel to Wengen, where the final training starts at 12.30 p.m. local time (1130 GMT).

If he doesn’t make it in time, the Austrian would still be able to compete in Thursday’s super-G, which has no mandatory training runs.

The super-G has been rescheduled from Bormio, Italy, because of unfavorable weather conditions in December.

Kriechmayr won gold in downhill and super-G at the world championships last year, becoming only the third skier to win the world title in both speed events in the same year.

The event in Wengen opens a block of five high-profile men’s speed races within 10 days, with two downhills scheduled for the Streif course in Kitzbühel, Austria, next week.