Women's downhill begins at Lake Louise after power outage

Published Dec. 2, 2017 5:27 p.m. ET

LAKE LOUISE, Alberta (AP) A power outage at the Lake Louise ski resort has caused a 75-minute delay to the start of a women's World Cup downhill.

A resort spokesman says a power line to the resort failed.

The World Cup skiers and the public were stranded on lifts for about 30 minutes before backup power kicked in. But with the chair lifts and gondolas then at a standstill, the World Cup skiers, coaches and course workers were towed up the mountain by snowcat vehicles.

The women started at a lower point on the mountain, shortening the course by about 460 meters.

Says Resort spokesman Dan Markham: ''We cannot get people up the hill on backup power, but if you can get them up the hill, you can run a race.''

Austria's Cornelia Huetter won the season-opening downhill Friday at the resort. A super-G is set for Sunday.