I just saw the vid and I'm sure he's dead. He flipped out of the course going over 100 mph and hit a steel beam. There's no way anybody could have survived that.
Does anybody else think it looks like a design flaw? There should be some kind of padded wall or something where those beams are.
Wow, that was messed up. I don't think that person will survive...if they do, that will be a miracle. Probably better not to survive that
I can't believe the end of the turn isn't covered for a longer length considering the poles that are in place.
I didn't think Global's newscast was negative at all. If they didn't like the Olympics, the wouldn't bother hosting "The O Show" or broadcasting the newscasts from Whistler and Concord Plaza. Sure, some of the news is slightly bias, but they've really been reporting the facts.
One thing I hate about Global is their stupid fake, digital newsroom now.
Wow, that was messed up. I don't think that person will survive...if they do, that will be a miracle. Probably better not to survive that
I can't believe the end of the turn isn't covered for a longer length considering the poles that are in place.
Yeah. It does look like a design flaw there. I don't know why there are steel beams, or why it isn't covered.
To fly off at 148km/h in to one of the beams is just bad, especially with no protection other than a helmet.
CBC is reporting that Georgian luge competitor Nodar Kumaritashvili has died after launching from the track and hitting his head on a metal pole during a training run Friday at Whistler Olympic Park.
Before Kumaritashvili's crash, British skeleton slider Amy Williams told BBC Sport: "I just hope Whistler is safe and that there aren't too many crashes and serious injuries."
Australia's Hannah Campbell-Pegg added: "I think they are pushing it a little too much.
"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."
Their comments followed earlier accidents, including one involving gold medal favourite Armin Zoeggeler of Italy and several during women's luge training runs on Wednesday.
Among those to crash was Romania's Violeta Stramaturaru, who was knocked unconscious for a few minutes and taken to hospital.
Did they push the course too far? Farther than necessary? This is a disastrous mistake.
Quote:
Prior to the Vancouver Games, no Winter Olympic athlete had been killed during an event.
I understand that an Austrian broke an unofficial world record on the luge yesterday clocking in at ~154 km/hr. The G forces at that speed are phenomenal. I also understand that the IOC is meeting right now to assess how to move forward.
They could cancel the event entirely or they could shorten the luge run by placing the start gate further down the line so speeds of 154 - 156 km/hr cannot be reached.
My condolences to the Kumaritashvili family.
Quote:
The track at Whistler, which is shared by the sports of luge, skeleton and bobsleigh, already has a reputation as one of the fastest - and most dangerous - in the world.
In the build-up to the Games several teams had raised concerns about the safety of athletes, who regularly exceed 90mph as they compete.
Before Kumaritashvili's crash, British skeleton slider Amy Williams told BBC Sport: "I just hope Whistler is safe and that there aren't too many crashes and serious injuries."
Australia's Hannah Campbell-Pegg added: "I think they are pushing it a little too much.
"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."
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The Barenaked Ladies are having an impromptu concert on a street corner in front of the Robson New Balance Store, right now.
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