Luge athlete killed in Whistler during training

[DownhillGoat]

Originally Posted by HOOT

Has someone in recent football history ever run into those posts? Yes.

I'd say comparing a running back doing 20 km/h running into a padded post is a wee bit different.

Padding those beams is no different than padding a ski lift post. It'll soften the blow if you're doing a slow to moderate speed. Hitting anything solid at 140 km/h is going to be deadly. The human body cannot absorb that abrupt stop in momentum, no matter how soft the first 3 inches of the impact are.

The plexi may help, but would still be dependent on the crash (bouncing around the track would be no guarantee of safety, but the chances would be better).

[You Need a Thneed]

Originally Posted by NY Times article

The death cast a pall over the Games as they had barely begun, hours before the opening ceremony was to begin. A similar tragedy happened in 1964, when two athletes — an Austrian skier and British luger — were killed in pre-Olympics training in Innsbruck, Austria

Link.

[Kybosh]

Originally Posted by nfotiu

Is that true? I would have thought it was something that happens from time to time.

The design and the speed of track itself may have caused the guy to fly off the track.

I don't have a link but one of the luge organizers on CTV said that he has never heard of a luger flying off the track.

[mac_gurl]

ctvolympics.ca has some pretty disturbing photos along with the article. I don't think everyone needs/wants to see pictures of him being resuscitated and blood everywhere, without any warnings.

Very sad start to the Olympics.

[Kipper is King]

I started watching his run on ctvolympics.ca, but I could not bear to see the actual crash. Very sad.

[dj_patm]

Originally Posted by Kybosh

I don't have a link but one of the luge organizers on CTV said that he has never heard of a luger flying off the track.

Probably has something to do with this being the stupidest track design of all time.

[Delthefunky]

Originally Posted by HOOT

It's sad and I feel sorry for his family and friends but it doesn't take away from the fact it was a freak accident.

I don't know dude... This track already had a bad rep, and it's only a few years old. If this track were to have been around for 20 years and then this happened I would say it's a freak accident, but being so new and having such a bad accident along with all the other accidents, I think it points to a serious design flaw.

[dj_patm]

Something is up with these olympics. Training events canceled due to weather, a death, multiple training crashes with one serious one ending a skiers olympics...

Not a good start.

[Kybosh]

Originally Posted by dj_patm

Probably has something to do with this being the stupidest track design of all time.

Yeah, OR he had not practiced on it much before compared to the Canadians or Americans. Just because you can write it down doesn't mean it's true. How can you possibly quantify that this is the "stupidest" track design of all time?

[HotHotHeat]

Originally Posted by Kybosh

Yeah, OR he had not practiced on it much before compared to the Canadians or Americans. Just because you can write it down doesn't mean it's true. How can you possibly quantify that this is the "stupidest" track design of all time?

Americans have said it's an overly dangerous track. You'd be in tough arguing the track isn't to blame.

[malcolmk14]

Originally Posted by hulkrogan

Has an athlete ever died during a modern Olympic event? I know this was training and not technically the Olympics, but I'm wondering if this is a first of its kind.

Two athletes died in 1964 in Austria during Olympic training runs.

An Australian skier, Ross Milne.

A British luger, Kazimierz Kay-Skrzypeski.

Also, in 1992 a Swiss skier died when he was free-skiing before the finals.

Tragic, RIP.

[HOOT]

Originally Posted by Delthefunky

I don't know dude... This track already had a bad rep, and it's only a few years old. If this track were to have been around for 20 years and then this happened I would say it's a freak accident, but being so new and having such a bad accident along with all the other accidents, I think it points to a serious design flaw.

If it has a bad rep athletes should have been saying they will not race on it. Obviously it was dangerous, as that's their sport, but if it was that dangerous why are athletes still going down it?

They have a corned named 50/50 by the lugers because there is a 50% chance you will even make it through. If you have a 50% chance of getting hurt why put yourself in that position?

It is clear there is a design flaw and the track is dangerous. It is your responsibility as an athlete to know your limits and not go if it isn't safe. It just seems like everyone wants to sue someone for every little accident. I just think some blame falls on the athletes who continue to go down it, make a stand if they are putting your life in danger.

[Saint Troy]

http://network.nationalpost.com/np/b...r-s-crash.aspx

pictures from National post

[Russic]

I'm not sure I completely agree with what CTV is doing here. I understand there is a whole over-arching debate about what the media should and should not cover, but this just seems like a bit much. Those pictures that accompany the video or quite graphic as well. I don't know ... feels wrong.

[Igottago]

They should be shutting down the track pending a full safety investigation. It may have been a freak occurance but if its happened once, it can happen again.

[pylon]

Its right on the front page in HD on ctvolympics.ca if you want to see it. One of my co-workers almost passed out watching it though. So be warned.

[dj_patm]

Originally Posted by Kybosh

Yeah, OR he had not practiced on it much before compared to the Canadians or Americans. Just because you can write it down doesn't mean it's true. How can you possibly quantify that this is the "stupidest" track design of all time?

They have said that there will never be a track this dangerous built ever again.

That to me screams "STUPID TRACK DESIGN"

[Russic]

Originally Posted by HOOT

If it has a bad rep athletes should have been saying they will not race on it. Obviously it was dangerous, as that's their sport, but if it was that dangerous why are athletes still going down it?

...

I disagree. Olympic athletes aren't really in the position to boycott the games imo. You train most of your life and get 1, maybe 2 shots at them. I'm not sure many would bow out because it's not safe.

[valo403]

Originally Posted by HOOT

If it has a bad rep athletes should have been saying they will not race on it. Obviously it was dangerous, as that's their sport, but if it was that dangerous why are athletes still going down it?

They have a corned named 50/50 by the lugers because there is a 50% chance you will even make it through. If you have a 50% chance of getting hurt why put yourself in that position?

It is clear there is a design flaw and the track is dangerous. It is your responsibility as an athlete to know your limits and not go if it isn't safe. It just seems like everyone wants to sue someone for every little accident. I just think some blame falls on the athletes who continue to go down it, make a stand if they are putting your life in danger.

Umm, because not going down it means not participating in the olympics?? It's not the athletes responsibility to ensure that the track is safe, it's the designers responsibility. What a pathetic attempt to shift blame.

[Kybosh]

Originally Posted by HotHotHeat

Americans have said it's an overly dangerous track. You'd be in tough arguing the track isn't to blame.

It's interesting because I'm pretty good friends with a luge coach (who is at Whistler right now) and I remember him describing the Whistler course as challenging but never dangerous. Of course, with a sport such as luge, challenging will inevitably equate to dangerous.

Athletes are always getting better and track designers are tasked with making a course that meets the demands of the athletes. I honestly hold no blame for the designers of the course until I see further proof of negligence.