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Warm weather wipes out US World Cup races

The International Ski Federation decided to cancel men's World Cup races after meeting with US Ski officials and the organizing committee in Colorado's Rocky Mountains

Unseasonably warm weather and unfavorable forecasts have prompted the International Ski Federation (FIS) to cancel next month's men's World Cup races at Beaver Creek, the US Ski team announced. An announcement said the FIS will make a formal statement on Friday but that the body had made the decision after meeting with US Ski officials and the organizing committee for the event in Colorado's Rocky Mountains. Downhill training runs were scheduled for November 29-30 and December 1 at the Birds of Prey layout with a men's downhill race on December 2, a Super G on December 3 and a giant slalom race on December 4. The move follows the cancellation of men's downhill and Super G races at Lake Louise in Canada that had been announced Wednesday. Women's races remain scheduled at Lake Louise for the same weekend that the men would have raced on the Birds of Prey layout. The women also remain set to ski slalom and giant slalom races November 26-27 at Killington, Vermont, on the opposite side of the United States. While recent weather shifts have brought snow and colder conditions to the Beaver Creek resort, which still plans to open on schedule next Wednesday, the change did not come soon enough to allow race crews to create the 8,600-foot (2,621m) Birds of Prey courses. "In the business of ski racing, we sometimes are faced with challenges that are simply beyond our control," said Calum Clark, events vice president of the US Ski and Snowboard Association. "The Birds of Prey World Cup is a highlight for our entire organization each season and we look forward to returning to Beaver Creek in 2017." Races have been staged in the Vail area since the circuit began 50 years ago, with Beaver Creek hosting events since 1988 and the Birds of Prey opening in 1997. The area hosted the Alpine World Ski Championships three times, most recently in 2015.