Cold front in mountain Olympic venues tough for athletes

By MARTHA BELLISLE
Associated Press

ZHANGJIAKOU, China (AP) — Cross-country skiers and biathletes got a bit of a respite from the bitter conditions at the Beijing Olympics this week as winds calmed and temperatures hovered around 19 degrees. But that’s expected to change this weekend when a cold front moves through. The frosty conditions are hard on athletes trying to stay warm. Estonian biathlete Johanna Talihärm says “my cross-country teammate froze his finger in the skiathlon so that it’s still a little swollen and doesn’t have quite all the feeling back yet.” The cold also makes the snow slower because more friction builds up under the ski. But Mother Nature does not discriminate. Everyone is suffering equally.