Snow joke: Winter Paralympics athletes angry at scheduling as big thaw hits

Germany’s Linn Kazmaier and guide Florian Baumann compete in Val di Fiemme on a less than ideal course with disappearing snow. Photograph: Marcus Hartmann/Getty Images

In Cortina d’Ampezzo, the thaw is on. With daytime temperatures reaching double figures in celsius, snow is disappearing from the hillsides and the “torrenti” of ice melt have started to flow once again.

Traditionally a time of year when snowfall can be at its heaviest, there has been none since the Winter Paralympics began. The Games have not been insulated from the consequences.