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It's safe to say James Woods is one of the nicest, most polite and respectful gentlemen you could ever hope to meet. So when he starts calling out your event organisation you need to stand up and take notice. And that's exactly what happened in the wake of this afternoon's World Championships in Sierra Nevada.
Speaking to a BBC reporter, Woodsy described the event as "a shambles", despite taking home the bronze.
Click here for the event recap
"I'm proud of my runs but I cannot fake it's been wonderful," he said. "It's been nothing short of pathetic from the organisation to the course. I'm really happy to walk away no more injured than I already am. I'm really proud to put runs down like that and only really come a cropper [once] because of the stupid course that wasn't built right. I don't want to be seen as the bad guy, or the one that's always kicking up a fuss, it's just that I'm so passionate about my sport and also the safety of all the skiers and there were things that just weren't right this week. We always knew that in Sierra Nevada in mid-March there would be no snow. A lot of my friends got hurt fighting for what is ultimately nothing really. We're skiers and we love to do this but none of us got into it for breaking ourselves for the good of someone else. It's a free sport, an action sport. None of us ever asked to be in the Olympics. We look great on TV and it's a money maker for the guys in charge. It is my passion and that's why I can't fake a smile right now. I really want to do my bit to leave this sport on a real high, not my performance but the way the sport is."
Joseph Thomas Fitzgerald, co-ordinator for freestyle skiing for the International Ski Federation, acknowledged that the weather had "been really tough to work with" and they needed "more contingency planning" but argued they "adjusted all kinds of regulations and schedules to help athletes". Excuse us if, after your outburst on Friday, we take your commitment to the riders with a pinch of salt...
Props to Woodsy for stepping up to the plate and calling organisers out. I hope we see some good come from this
Source: BBC Sport
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