Winter Oympics

**Blueneck** · 12th February 2010 03:03 PM

Luge and Olympic officials, still stunned by the death of a slider from the Republic of Georgia during a training run this morning, said they don't know whether luge racing will commence as scheduled on Saturday.

Questions already are swirling about whether track designers pushed the envelope too far in building the world's fastest sliding track, and what might be done to make it safer.

At the track, Royal Canadian Mounted Police officers cordoned off the accident site after the accident, which Olympic officials said was under full investigation

I hate to say it, but if they decide against cancelling this competition, it will more than likely be the most watched event.

Luge racer dies

**Dr.Knuckles** · 12th February 2010 03:17 PM

And now.... NOW.... we're hearing dozens of complaints that athletes have been making about this track. It's the fastest in the world and apparantly athletes have been saying "too fast".

On Thursday, there were several crashes and Romanian woman slider Violeta Stramaturaru was briefly knocked unconscious after a high-speed spill.

Even the world's best sliders have found the course hard to handle. Double Olympic champion Armin Zoeggeler crashed during his opening training run on Friday before walking stoney-faced past waiting journalists.

American veteran Tony Benshoof, who was fourth in Turin, also hurt his foot when he bounced into a wall on Friday.

Benshoof was one of a number of competitors who expressed concerns that only the host Canadian team had been allowed to train regularly on the track which is acknowledged as the fastest ever built.

Training days in Whistler have been crash-filled. A Romanian woman was briefly knocked unconscious and at least four Americans—Chris Mazdzer on Wednesday, Megan Sweeney on Thursday and both Tony Benshoof and Bengt Walden on Friday in the same training session where Zoeggeler wrecked—have had serious trouble just getting down the track.

“I think they are pushing it a little too much,” Australia’s Hannah Campbell-Pegg said Thursday night after she nearly lost control in training. “To what extent are we just little lemmings that they just throw down a track and we’re crash-test dummies? I mean, this is our lives.”

She said that last night.

And all of this about 6 hours before the Opening Ceremony. 5 years of planning and this city was pumped today, just rip roaring pumped.

Fuck!

**freckles** · 12th February 2010 03:19 PM

[quote name='Dr.Knuckles' date='12 February 2010 - 05:17 PM' timestamp='1266013053' post='114529']

And now.... NOW.... we're hearing dozens of complaints that athletes have been making about this track. There have been several near misses for athletes in training, and just last night a female luge (luger?) .. luge lady said soemthing like "Are we just lemming being pushed down a hill. This is our life?"

She said that last night.

And all of this about 6 hours before the Opening Ceremony. 5 years of planning.

Fuck!

[/quote]

Hey at least they got the #1 place to live?

**Dr.Knuckles** · 12th February 2010 03:26 PM

Dear Republican Congressmen.

Please hold off the innevitable "Canadian Health Care" comments for a repsectful period of time.

Yes... it is too soon.

**Pragmatist** · 12th February 2010 04:55 PM

[quote name='Dr.Knuckles' date='12 February 2010 - 05:17 PM' timestamp='1266013053' post='114529']

And all of this about 6 hours before the Opening Ceremony. 5 years of planning and this city was pumped today, just rip roaring pumped.

Fuck!

[/quote]

I thought of you the moment I heard this news. I am truly sorry Knuckles.

**Devil505** · 12th February 2010 05:08 PM

Just saw the accident on CNN...Man!!...You gotta be nuts to go that fast with no protection!!

**Blueneck** · 12th February 2010 08:43 PM

Well, I hope they didn't soup up the ice for the curling this way!

Sorry Knuckles, it's really not funny.

**Morgan** · 12th February 2010 11:23 PM

I heard about this right before the opening ceremony. Truly terrible.

On a lighter note, I was very impressed by the opening ceremony.

**Morgan** · 13th February 2010 11:16 AM

One hour until the final round Medal Event for...

Normal Hill Individual Ski Jumping.

Should be interesting.

**Blueneck** · 13th February 2010 11:50 AM

[quote name='Morgan' date='13 February 2010 - 01:23 AM' timestamp='1266042233' post='114688']

I heard about this right before the opening ceremony. Truly terrible.

On a lighter note, I was very impressed by the opening ceremony.

[/quote]

I didn't see all that much of it, but for the most part I thought it sucked. But it's the only Olympic opening ceremony I've ever watched in my life, so maybe I was expecting too much. What was the guy dressed up like Huck Finn flying around in the air supposed to be?