World champion Loch sets luge pace in Whistler

From Sportsbeat Staff, in Whistler

 WORLD champion Felix Loch of Germany clocked the fastest time of a shortened and subdued opening luge run in Whistler, just a day after the tragic death of Georgia's Nodar Kumaritashvili.

PACE SETTER: After the first run of the men's luge, world champion Felix Loch sets the pace (Getty Images)

On Saturday morning in Vancouver, the International Luge Federation and Vanoc officials defended their decision to proceed with the men's competition, but revealed alterations to the track had been made and safety measures introduced.

Fil secretary general Svein Romstad also confirmed the men's competition would begin from the women's starting position in a bid to avoid the dangerously high speeds achieved by competitors in training.

The length of the track has been shortened by 176 m and the number of curves has been reduced from 15 to 16.

Kumaritashvili, 21, collided with a metal pole, having crashed out of the structure of the course as a result of a late exit from corner 15 at an estimated speed of 150km/h.

And on the shortened course it was Loch, 20, crowned world champion in Lake Placid last year, who sets the early place, after clocking 48.168 seconds and 48.402 in his first two runs.

He leads from compatriot David Moeller, who is 0.282 back, while two-time Olympic champion Armin Zoeggeler of Italy, who was knocked unconscious during training on Friday, is third.

Great Britain's Adam Rosen placed 16th out of the 27 competitors, clocking 48.896 and 49.005.

“I thought I slid really well, I’m feeling pretty good,” said Rosen.

“I had two really good runs. I guess the times could have been a bit better, but overall I’m happy with my performance."
 
Fil also confirmed that the women's singles and the doubles will train and compete from a lower level at The Whistler Sliding Centre.

The Fil jury, in conjunction with the technical delegates and the race director, has decided to lower the start to 953 m for the women's and doubles' races [also known as the juniors' start].

The women's singles and doubles track length has been shortened by 245 m from 1198m.

Romstad said the changes were made for ‘emotional and psychological reasons' in consideration of the athletes.

Levan Gureshidze of Georgia was on the official start list but opted against competing.

 AS IT HAPPENS: Day two of the 2010 WInter Olympics in Vancouver