Luge athlete killed in Whistler during training - Page 12 - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

HOOT · 02-12-2010, 03:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pylon

I feel dirty for thanks'ing that. But good find.

What I find crazy is they don't mention turn 16 once in the article.

PowerPlayoffs06 · 02-12-2010, 03:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pylon

I feel dirty for thanks'ing that. But good find.

Then you can take your Thanks back and give it to Kermitology at the top of Page 6, where he posted it first.

J pold · 02-12-2010, 03:23 PM

They showed the video on the TV's while I was at the gym a few hours ago, a girl riding a stationary bike let out a light scream when they showed it. I got a pit in my stomach after watching it.

So, unbelievably sad.

pylon · 02-12-2010, 03:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HOOT

Well if you think all sports are designed for an athlete to push 100% and not know his limits that is your issue and you don't really understand sports very well. This was a crash. Just happened to be a crash that turned into a freakish death.

We are not talking about all sports here, we are talking about a sport designed to be participated at without the use of brakes or slowing down. These guys try to push every nano second out of any track they race on without having to slow down a fraction. Its not like auto racing where you are expecting to combine braking and cornering. They are participating in a venue that is out of the norm, in the fact that performing to the accepted expecation is proving to be dangerous, and now fatal.

valo403 · 02-12-2010, 03:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HOOT

1964 was when Luge was first introduced to the Olympics and it weather was to blame for the accident. And actually only one person died at the Luge event, and one was a skier.

Quote:

Hence my use of "one of them"

Personally if I have been luging all my life and I felt there was a chance someone could die I would have said no and made a stink about it. No one did, including the athletes, because no one could have imagined someone flying over the edge like that.

Quote:

It doesn't matter what someone could have imagined, the point is whether or not the designers SHOULD have imagined it. I don't know the answer to that, but the question isn't what people thought, it's what they should have been thinking.

Well if you think all sports are designed for an athlete to push 100% and not know his limits that is your issue and you don't really understand sports very well. This was a crash. Just happened to be a crash that turned into a freakish death.

This last part is just a golden example of ridiculous thinking. Every single competitor is going to push to get down the track as fast as possible, that's not even questionable. In doing so they will be on the very edge of a crash at numerous points, but world class athletes have the ability to generally avoid those crashes. The designers know all of this, and you obviously can't design a track that is both competitive and accident proof. The part that is somehow going over your head, and this is really quite stunning, is that the consequences of a crash on a properly designed track should never be virtually certain death. It's completely unacceptable.

Barnes · 02-12-2010, 03:28 PM

Since apparently some people wont click on links..

From Feb 6th Globe and Mail:

Quote:

Early in the planning for the 2014 Sochi Games, the Russian hosts were told flatly by the sport's governing bodies: those speeds at the Whistler Sliding Centre? Don't even dream of trying to match them.

Quote:

Holcomb has since claimed that the course was designed backward, with tighter turns near the bottom where sleds max-out the speed. And American luger Tony Benshoof told NBC: "When I first got on this track, I thought that somebody was going to kill themselves."

Quote:

Whistler's reputation was established in November, 2008 when Loch damaged shoulder tendons in a crash and was one of three lugers hospitalized, and Canadian bob driver Pierre Lueders crashed in Corner 7, which was instantly named Lueders' Loop.

Quote:

Turn 13 banks sharply to the left and sends the sleds into a horseshoe-shaped curve that slings them to the finish line. Two-time overall World Cup bobsleigh champion Steve Holcomb nicknamed it "50/50" after half the sleds crashed during the World Cup training run. Some track modifications since then will give the drivers a little more leeway going into it during the Olympics.

http://www.ctvolympics.ca/news-centr...2.html?cid=rss

pylon · 02-12-2010, 03:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PowerPlayoffs06

Then you can take your Thanks back and give it to Kermitology at the top of Page 6, where he posted it first.

Phew, fixed.

HOOT · 02-12-2010, 03:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by valo403

The part that is somehow going over your head, and this is really quite stunning, is that the consequences of a crash on a properly designed track should never be virtually certain death. It's completely unacceptable.

I guess eye rolling is the only way to get your point across so I will add to your stupidity. Going over my head? Sorry I guess I just don't expect everything in life to be 100% safe or guaranteed that someone will come out alive.

You could have the most perfect track, on the most perfect day and someone could still get injured or killed by going at those speeds. Maybe they should dress the guys up in Luongo's pads before sending them down. Just in case.

I feel sorry for you that you think that something should be 100% certain of safety. You must live a very sheltered life. I'm done with this argument because it's going in circles. I believe things happen, you believe everything should be 100% guaranteed in life. Got it!

Mike Oxlong · 02-12-2010, 03:32 PM

RIP
Condolences to his family and friends and team mates.

What a terrible tragedy.

I don't want to get into the design/engineering debate but those metal beams there really make no sense. I just don't understand that at all.

dre · 02-12-2010, 03:32 PM

IMO, CTV and including CP should stop showing or posting links of this man's last seconds of life. Have some respect for his family. Its one thing reading about it, but showing a pictures or video of it is wrong. Imagine seeing your loved one on the news like that.

dj_patm · 02-12-2010, 03:33 PM

to the people saying don't cancel or move the event... When do we reach the magical # of deaths before we do?

One life is not enough? How bout 2? 6? 21?

What is the point of needles risk for sporting entertainment and to save some money. Move the thing. WHY NOT!?

HOOT · 02-12-2010, 03:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dre

IMO, CTV and including CP should stop showing or posting links of this man's last seconds of life. Have some respect for his family. Its one thing reading about it, but showing a pictures or video of it is wrong. Imagine seeing your loved one on the news like that.

I've decided to take down my video. I had posted it before the man had died but now with things being official it is down.

Coys1882 · 02-12-2010, 03:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dj_patm

to the people saying don't cancel or move the event... When do we reach the magical # of deaths before we do?

No one is forcing these guys down the track - I bet if they left in the hands of the athletes - I'd be surprised if any of them packed up and went home.

SteveToms · 02-12-2010, 03:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dj_patm

to the people saying don't cancel or move the event... When do we reach the magical # of deaths before we do?

One life is not enough? How bout 2? 6? 21?

What is the point of needles risk for sporting entertainment and to save some money. Move the thing. WHY NOT!?

Shut up already, really.

iggypop · 02-12-2010, 03:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Coys1882

No one is forcing these guys down the track - I bet if they left in the hands of the athletes - I'd be surprised if any of them packed up and went home.

So that makes it right?

dj_patm · 02-12-2010, 03:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Coys1882

No one is forcing these guys down the track - I bet if they left in the hands of the athletes - I'd be surprised if any of them packed up and went home.

Really? I guarantee a few of them would.
Someone just died and there have been multiple crashes on a track that has been declared unsafe already.

But yeah why not! It's already there right? We'd have to drive all the way to Calgary... Meh. Lets take some more stupid risks.

Can you blame them for not wanting to back down? It's the olympics and they've been waiting their whole life for this. Dedicated their life for 4 years.

Move it for their safety.

dj_patm · 02-12-2010, 03:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteveToms

Shut up already, really.

You are honestly the most useless poster on here. You never ever contribute to anything. You just make stupid jokes that were funny a week ago yet you still try and pull them.

Jesus. Take some of your own medicine.

HOOT · 02-12-2010, 03:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dj_patm

Can you blame them for not wanting to back down? It's the olympics and they've been waiting their whole life for this. Dedicated their life for 4 years.

So these last four years and more important than the rest of their lives?

dj_patm · 02-12-2010, 03:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HOOT

So these last four years and more important than the rest of their lives?

Would you throw them away?

You're an olypmic athlete. Standing on the top of the track. You've worked for this moment so hard, the whole world is watching... Would you step back?

These athletes aren't in the right position to make this decision. Hopefully their coaches could talk them out of it but even then.

Why would you let them risk it? For some money and so the track doesn't go to waste?

If you're fine with that then whatever... I seriously hope the IOC, VANOC or the Luge federation doesn't think like that.

valo403 · 02-12-2010, 03:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HOOT

So these last four years and more important than the rest of their lives?

Rational thinking often doesn't enter into the equation in situations like this, people think 'well it won't happen to me'. I'm sure a few sliders would pull out, but I think the majority would continue on.