Austria's Matthias Mayer will attempt to go where no man has gone before on Sunday when he defends his Olympic downhill title in what looks likely to be an open race against a pack of challengers hungry for his crown.

No one has won successive titles in the blue riband event of the Olympic Alpine skiing program and whether Mayer gets the chance to achieve the feat remains at the mercy of the weather at the Jeongseon Alpine Centre.

Training has been affected by high winds, which not only raises the risk that Sunday's final may be delayed until later in the week but also increases the possibility that a dark horse could ride a tail-wind to victory.