Georgian luger dies in pre-Olympic crash

**thesteve** · 02-12-2010, 08:54 PM

They just showed the footage on NBC prior to the downhill ski event footage. I was pretty surprised they showed the crash (as well as several other crashes). Apparently even the top ranked lugers are crashing during their practice runs.

**slap_j** · 02-12-2010, 09:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thesteve

I was pretty surprised they showed the crash (as well as several other crashes).

If it bleeds, it leads. And NBC has been having a rough time lately viz. Conan & Jay.

**Skeeter** · 02-12-2010, 11:16 PM

I still haven't seen any footage and I don't plan to.

**slap_j** · 02-12-2010, 11:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skeeter

I still haven't seen any footage and I don't plan to.

Oh, me neither. Some of it is legitimate news. Some of it is just a morbid compulsion to look on death and destruction.

**Skeeter** · 02-13-2010, 12:19 AM

Luge News - 2010 Winter Olympics - CTV Olympics

The International Luge Federation has declared the track itself to be safe. They have made some changes to the portion where Nodar went off the track to help ensure the safety of that one particular area.

**Role Modlin** · 02-13-2010, 07:44 AM

I was disappointed that they showed the crash...but not surprised. It was a violent crash and you could tell that it didn't end well.

I plan not to see the footage anymore.

**slap_j** · 02-13-2010, 11:58 AM

Probe: G-force, not track, cause of luger's death at Olympics - USATODAY.com

**Epaphras** · 02-13-2010, 01:54 PM

Got surprised by the footage (I didn't want to see it). Absolutely horrible footage, it will bother me for a long time. I hate seeing people die. Even old WWII footage of prisoner executions really bugs me. Yuck.

Cam42 · 02-13-2010, 01:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slap_j

Probe: G-force, not track, cause of luger's death at Olympics - USATODAY.com

oh man, that's even worse.

**thesteve** · 02-15-2010, 12:50 PM

From what I've been reading of what's coming out on this story, at least a few of the lugers are frustrated at the changes being made to slow down and simplify the track. One female luger goes as far as to call the current start a "childrens' start" and the Canadians claim this move has basically given away their home track advantage. Kumaritashvili's father says that his son was afraid of the track and other racers (as well as officials) claim that it was a fluke, non-track related accident (though the officials were also the ones who are shortening and slowing down the track...)

Ethan.Bassist. · 02-15-2010, 01:31 PM

Well, if you're watching the Olympics on NBC, no worries of them showing it for the rest of the Olympic coverage. Bob Costas announced I think Saturday that they weren't going to be showing the footage.

Gwenny · 02-15-2010, 01:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thesteve

From what I've been reading of what's coming out on this story, at least a few of the lugers are frustrated at the changes being made to slow down and simplify the track. One female luger goes as far as to call the current start a "childrens' start" and the Canadians claim this move has basically given away their home track advantage. Kumaritashvili's father says that his son was afraid of the track and other racers (as well as officials) claim that it was a fluke, non-track related accident (though the officials were also the ones who are shortening and slowing down the track...)

Honestly, anyone who chooses to participate in this sport is insane. I see nothing wrong with making the track safer considering someone died on it. Maybe they went too far in their precautions, but at this point, I doubt anything will change. Maybe the next country will realize Canada's mistake in trying to make the most unsafe track in the world and take measure to make the fastest track but with better safety measures. If anything, they should learn from this.

Regardless, I think that anyone who willingly chooses to participate in this event should be grateful that the officials are trying to make it so that no one else dies. Maybe it was a fluke, but it still happened. So you want to cheat death? Well then go luge down the side of a mountain.

**thesteve** · 02-15-2010, 01:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by luvinjesus

Honestly, anyone who chooses to participate in this sport is insane. I see nothing wrong with making the track safer considering someone died on it. Maybe they went too far in their precautions, but at this point, I doubt anything will change. Maybe the next country will realize Canada's mistake in trying to make the most unsafe track in the world and take measure to make the fastest track but with better safety measures. If anything, they should learn from this.

Regardless, I think that anyone who willingly chooses to participate in this event should be grateful that the officials are trying to make it so that no one else dies. Maybe it was a fluke, but it still happened. So you want to cheat death? Well then go luge down the side of a mountain.

Some racers claim that Whistler is actually a very safe track if you know what you're doing. Yes, it's very fast, but it's supposedly safe for experienced riders. One rider said that it wasn't a track where he feels like people should be getting hurt. At least one luger has said that he thinks the modifications done to the track will hurt his chances at being competitive.

I agree that luging is nuts. I'm just going off of the word of the competitors. I have trouble enough getting my car up to 95 mph, let alone lying on a sled and going down a half tunnel made out of ice at 95 mph.

normajean777 · 02-16-2010, 05:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by luvinjesus

Honestly, anyone who chooses to participate in this sport is insane. I see nothing wrong with making the track safer considering someone died on it. Maybe they went too far in their precautions, but at this point, I doubt anything will change. Maybe the next country will realize Canada's mistake in trying to make the most unsafe track in the world and take measure to make the fastest track but with better safety measures. If anything, they should learn from this.

Regardless, I think that anyone who willingly chooses to participate in this event should be grateful that the officials are trying to make it so that no one else dies. Maybe it was a fluke, but it still happened. So you want to cheat death? Well then go luge down the side of a mountain.

There have been at least 4000 runs down the track without serious injury. They weren't trying to make the most unsafe track, they were trying to make a track that would challenge the athletes. Its not a beginner track. So IMO changes to the starting positions are not called for, and hurt the dynamic of the events.

metropolis4 · 02-17-2010, 11:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by normajean777

There have been at least 4000 runs down the track without serious injury. They weren't trying to make the most unsafe track, they were trying to make a track that would challenge the athletes. Its not a beginner track. So IMO changes to the starting positions are not called for, and hurt the dynamic of the events.

I agree, however I think that politics had more to do with it than anything. Having an athlete die already looks bad on Canada's Olympic committee. They couldn't let that happen and then appear to not take any action. They had to show the world that it concerned them and they were taking steps to insure the safety of the other competitors.

I don't think the decision had anything to do with the track, I think it was strictly a political move.

It's like when one person gets burned by hot coffee at McDonalds, and now everyone has to drink warm coffee there.