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Adelboden: Ski World Cup race to go ahead

A damaged street following a landslide between Frutigen and Adelboden, Switzerland
Police announced the closure of the road to Adelboden on Thursday after heavy rains triggered a landslide. Keystone

The authorities in Adelboden say the men's World Cup Giant Slalom and Slalom races at the weekend will go ahead, despite a landslide damaging and closing the sole road to the Swiss ski resort.

Village officials said they would be able to open one lane of the road by early morning on Saturday, just hours before the Giant Slalom event.

Adelboden is one of four Swiss venues on the Alpine Skiing World Cup circuit, and the first of the year, usually attracting around 40,000 spectators.

The mountain village in the Bernese Alps was hit hard by the storm, Burglind, which caused the closure of numerous mountain roads across Switzerland, and cut off towns.

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Rail links have also been suspended in parts of the country due to a high risk of avalanches and mudslides.

+ How storm Burglind hit Switzerland

At least eight people were injured in the storm which has caused material damage worth an estimated CHF50 million ($51 million). Burglind swept across much of Switzerland and other parts of Europe on Wednesday.

View from the crowd at the Adelboden Ski World Cup
The Giant Slalom event drew 27,400 spectators in 2017. Adelboden Ski World Cup 2018


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