Birds of Prey gets the green light

It’s full speed ahead for the Audi FIS Birds of Prey World Cup Race Week at Beaver Creek as organizers received the green light Friday for the 2012 edition of racing.
    
“Our partners at Vail Resorts have certainly made the most of the temperatures and the real stuff that Mother Nature has provided,” said Michael Imhof, vice president of sales and operations for the Vail Valley Foundation. “Thanks to favorable snowmaking conditions and the natural snow we have received, everything is on track for a great weekend of racing at the Audi FIS Birds of Prey.”
    
Beaver Creek Mountain, which has received close to a foot of new snow in the past week, is scheduled to open on Nov. 21, while Vail Mountain opened to the public on Friday.

“The forecast calls for above freezing temperatures during the day,” explained Chief of Race Greg Johnson, “with good temperatures and low humidity and generally clear skies at night to complete the race venue.  I feel with this forecast, we are in good position for the events.”
    
The FIS requires a Snow Control inspection for all World Cup sites in advance of the competitions to ensure that good racecourse conditions exist or that the weather forecast is favorable for sufficient snowmaking.

The 2012 Audi FIS Birds of Prey World Cup Race Week gets under way Nov. 27, with downhill training. Competition kicks off Nov. 30, with the traditional Birds of Prey Downhill, followed by Super-G on Dec. 1. The weekend’s racing will conclude with Giant Slalom on Dec. 2.