Evening star., 1952-02-12
Games Start Thursday
Despite Lack Of Snow;
One Event Delayed
BY The AssocInsed Press

OSLO, norway, FeD. lz.--WlCn
lor without the cooperation Of
mature. the Winter Olympics will
open Thursday as scheduled.
That was the final word today
from the Olympic's Organizing
Committee and ski officials. who
have been plagued with worries
about the lack Of snow. Earlier
in the day. postponement Of the
opening skiing events had been
under consideration.
The officials at Norefjell, where
the slalom events get under way
Thursday, are convinced their ef-
forts to haul In snow and put it
in place with the help Of about 800
soldiers. will give the competitors
a perfect run.
Water is being sprayed over the
snow, and sub-freezing tempera-
ltureS assure a quick coating Of ice.
Women's Race DELAYED.
However, the Skiing Technical
Committee decided to postpone
the women's downhill race from
Saturday until Sunday. This will
enable the soldiers to concentrate
on getting the courses ready for
the Thursday and Friday events
which follow the original schedule.
Hopes for snow to cover bare
spots on the ski courses all but
vanished this morning when the
day dawned cold and clear. Nor
way has had less snow this winter
than any year in the last half
century. No snow has fallen In 10
days.
The official Norwegian Weather
Bureau said a Snowstorm that
paralyzed traffic in Northern Den
mark had been swept away from
the Oslo region.
The bobsled run, scene of the
only other opening-day event,
will be all right without more
snow. It's made of almost solid
ice, and sub-freezing temperatures
have kept it well preserved.
The two-man SledS ended their
practice runs today with the Ger
mans, Swiss and Americans bat
ting for superiority. The German
combination Of Anderl Ostler and
Lorenz Nieberl holds the worlds
title and will be favored to keep it.
Two BObsled Heats.
Two of the four heats In the
two-man competition will be run
Thursday with Italy's No. 2 bobI
the first down the run. The No. 2
sled of the Americans, piloted byI
Jim Bickford of Saranac Lake,
N. Y, will be the ninth OF the
18 sleds from nine countries toI
speed down the hill. The United
States No. / sled, guided by Stan
Benham of Lake Placid. N. Y,
will be the last to take off.
The third and fourth heats will
be run Friday-when the official
opening ceremonies will be held.
Americas ski jumpers scheduled
their final pref Olympic competi-
ton for this afternoon against
Poland. Japan. Switzerland and
Norway at the United States
training camp at Kongsberg. 40I
miles west of Oslo.
Committee Meeting.
While the athletes continued
their training outdoors, top brass
of the Olympic organization-the
International Olympic Committee
up inside.
The committee began a two-day
secret session. during which will
come up such ticklish problems
as what to do with the 1856 sum-
mer games and how to get the
East and West Germans to form
a single team for the summer
games at Helsinki.
In Melbourne. Australia. it was
announced yesterday that the
Melbourne Cricket Grounds will
not be available as a site four
years hence. The international
group might decide to move the
games, but the final decision dur
ing this session is unlikely. /