Anchorage Daily News

Once again, Kincaid Park's frigid temperatures cancelled racing today at the U.S. Cross Country Ski Championships.

Organizers delayed today's planned start time until 1 p.m., hoping the sunlight would push temperatures up enough to get in the scheduled individual classic style races.

At noon, the National Weather Service Web site said the Anchorage temperatures was minus-6, two degrees colder than the minus-4 cutoff. By 12:53, sunlight had finally filtered in and it had risen to minus-3 -- but by then Tuesday's races had been cancelled.

Temperature readings are taking by race officials at various points along the course well before the scheduled race start and can vary from National Weather Service readings.

Officials will meet 6 p.m. today to determine how to proceed after the third postponement in the race series. The two "off" days in the championship schedule have already been used up, and if the championships end on Thursday as planned, a race will have to be cancelled.

Many skiers hold plane tickets that would return them home Thursday night or Friday.

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