(24 Feb 2010)
1. Wide of snow falling over ski lifts
2. Close of Whistler Blackcomb sign
3. Children taking part in ski class in snow
4. Tilt down from snow falling on trees to children skiing
5. Set-up shot of Maureen Douglas, Director of communications for Vancouver 2010 Organising Committee (VANOC)
6. Close-up of Vancouver 2010 logo on jacket
7. SOUNDBITE: (English) Maureen Douglas, VANOC Director of Communications:
"The schedule doesn''t drive the decisions. Safety, visibility, race course conditions absolutely drive the decisions. So the fact that those women are coming down the hill means that it is definitely safe enough to race. And that there may be, as you say, some minor bouts of fog but there is enough visibility within that. And it is very high, it is high, so if you are on the race course you can be actually coming in under it. Your visibility is fine. So, FIS (International Ski Federation) would absolutely make sure that is the condition. We might find even if the cloud moves a little bit that maybe there is a short delay in the race but that remains to be seen, too. Right now everything looks good."
8. Cutaway hands and badge
9. SOUNDBITE: (English) Maureen Douglas, VANOC Director of Communications:
"I think it is all going to work out just fine. We might have some minor delays. I don''t think we are looking, hopefully, at any more postponements but Mother Nature can still play some tricks on us but we are really looking pretty steady right through to the end of the games now."
10. Raindrops falling under chair lift
11. Olympic flags in snow
12. Wide of people in Skiers plaza in central Whistler
STORYLINE:
Despite foggy and wet conditions in Whistler, the first run of the women''s Giant Slalom went ahead on Wednesday.
There was some concern that the race would be postponed, once again complicating the skiing schedule as the 2010 Winter Olympics enters its final days.
But despite snow, rain and fog the International Ski Federation (FIS) decided to let the race go ahead.
According to Maureen Douglas, Director of communications for Vancouver 2010 Organising Committee (VANOC), scheduling problems would not have played a major role in the decision.
She said safety, visibility and race course conditions would have driven the decision to let the race go ahead.
After the opening run of the Giant Slalom Elisabeth Goergl of Austria was in the lead.
American Lindsey Vonn crashed.
Two Alpine competitions remain in the Olympics; the men''s slalom on Friday and the women''s slalom on Saturday.
Douglas said she did not expect any postponements and that the weather was looking steady for the remainder of the Olympics.
The Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics ends on Sunday.
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