Female lugers hit out at changes to Whistler track

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Posted: Sunday 14th February 2010 | 21:41

FEMALE competitors have criticised the International Luge Federation's decision to shorten the track at the Whistler Sliding Centre in the aftermath of Nodar Kumaritashvili's fatal crash.

MODIFICATIONS: Female luge athletes criticise changes made to the track at the Whistler Sliding Centre (Getty Images)

On Saturday Fil secretary general Svein Romstad confirmed the women's and the doubles competitions would start at 953m, 245m shorter than initially planned.

Romstad revealed the decision, which also saw the men's starting point lowered the original women's position, was taken for ‘emotional and psychological reasons' in consideration of the athletes, following the high-speed crash of Kumaritashvili on corner 16 of the track.

But the move has not gone down well among female athletes, with some labeling the changes a step into the unknown, with others feeling their pursuit of success is being undermined.

Germany's Natalie Geisenberger, the 2008 European champion, has claimed the new track is 'not fun' and added that, ‘the changes needed to be made a year earlier, not when one is dead.'

As part of Vanoc's no-holds-barred Own the Podium scheme, which limited non-Canadians to the minimum permitted amount of training in Whistler, home slider Regan Lauscher has accrued considerably more time on the ice than her competitors.

"That home-track advantage? It's basically gone," she said.

While compatriot Meaghan Simister added: "It certainly doesn't help me. I haven't taken one run from down there until today.

"I trained for two years from the ladies' start. The best part of luge for me is the start and that has been taken away from me. "It's tough, but everyone has to do it."

With the track shortened, speeds in training have been at least eight km/h slower, while modifications have been made to the ice, as well as to the surrounding structures after Kumaritashvili's death.

AS IT HAPPENS: Day three from the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver

Comments

Blaming the luger for the

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 02/14/2010 - 21:57.

Blaming the luger for the error in his death is a typical Vanoc/IOC arrogant, uncaring response to a tragic event. Now the world is seeing first hand what we taxpayers of BC have put up with for the last few years with Vanoc and the IOC. Vanoc reply, thats OK just put it on our (the taxpayers) tab.

I agree. It may well have

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 02/14/2010 - 22:02.

I agree. It may well have been luger error - you're not going to fly off the track with a perfect run - but the necessary adjustments to the course should have been taken before. Why have a series of metal poles exposed when surely there is always a chance of someone coming off the track? Seems like common sense and it's cost someone their life.

Padding on the poles

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 02/17/2010 - 01:04.

Padding on the poles wouldn't have saved his life with those speeds, higher surroundings would have kept him from coming off the track. My guess is they didn't change the track earlier because it's not very common that someone comes off the track with a crash and it would cost quite a few spots for the spectators. If so, someone paid a high price for it.