The Opening Ceremony at the Paris Olympics survived a bout of torrential rain, but the same could not be said for the men’s street skateboarding event. The final was moved from Saturday to Monday due to, well, more rain in Paris.
“Due to adverse overnight weather conditions and following a meeting this morning with all relevant organisers, the decision has been taken to postpone Men’s Street Skateboarding,” World Skate said in a statement, according to the Daily Mail. Tennis at the famous Roland Garros stadium was also delayed, as only two out of 12 courts have roofs to protect the court from inclement weather.
The weather is always a topic of conversation at the Olympics, and a little rain is not expected to hurt anyone. At the 2018 Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, athletes were concerned about freezing temperatures, especially since the opening ceremony was held in an open-air stadium.
When street skateboarding returns on Monday, Canadians Cordano Russell, Matt Berger, and Ryan Decenzo will all be in action.
The Opening Ceremonies opened under overcast skies that soon gave way to steady rain. Volunteers handed out plastic ponchos to spectators, media and athletes while tarps were thrown over sound and lighting equipment. The show did go on, as thousands of people lined the Seine to watch the spectacle, which wrapped up with a Celine Dion performance at the base of the Eiffel Tower.
