Horrible crash on Luge track

Georgian luger flew off the track at approx. 90 miles/hour crashes into metal structure at side of track.  No reports yet on status.

Saw video on youtube and its scary  :(   I dont think he will survive

I just read about it, poor man. Horrible loss for Georgia.

Original Post by igloogal:

Yes it is also on TSN. I would not be allowed to compete in the qualifying round of the ski jumping for my country, just because I have a set of skis and feel I could do it. (Although, I'm in Canada)

well, there might be one or two people in canada who are better skiers than you.

i can't find anything in the ESPN article about how much experience he had.

LOL. Everyone in Canada is a better skier than I. But gee, why can't I try? (I don't ski. I'd get to the top of the ski jump and cry)

Edited to gove link for those who want it: I didn't find it on ESPN, but here's a link you can use. About 3/4 way down the page.

Original Post by pgeorgian:

there's a slalom skier from some place in africa who hadn't even seen snow until a couple of years ago. 

ghana.  he's from ghana.  he trains on wheeled skis.  you might be able to beat him, ig.  he qualified by being the only guy in the country who owned skis.

at least he has the sense to race slalom instead of downhill.

Original Post by pgeorgian:

Original Post by pgeorgian:

there's a slalom skier from some place in africa who hadn't even seen snow until a couple of years ago. 

ghana.  he's from ghana.  he trains on wheeled skis.  you might be able to beat him, ig.  he qualified by being the only guy in the country who owned skis.

at least he has the sense to race slalom instead of downhill.

I don't even know what that is! But yeah maybe your right. I may have to stick to mostly flat land, cross country maybe?

how tragic.  this really throws a pall over the opening ceremonies. it is better to go doing something you love, but it's never OK when it's someone so young.

is it just me, or is there anyone else out there who does not want to see pictures and video of this crash? i can easily keep away from youtube, but dang if i didn't go to msnbc.com and there's a still photo front & center on their website. and can i watch the opening ceremonies tonight, or any olympic coverage, without them showing this? will it be on the 15 second news teaser commercials so i have to avoid all tv?

it's a terrible, horrific accident and the man was killed - do the pictures have to be everywhere? can't the media have a little respect? i cannot bear seeing things like this - am i the only one?

I watched it once. And yeah, I'm surprised they haven't pulled it yet.

it's been pulled from youtube, but not because it's graphic.  the IOC claimed copyright.

Original Post by pgeorgian:

it's been pulled from youtube, but not because it's graphic.  the IOC claimed copyright.

 its still on youtube

luge is a stupid sport.

Original Post by pgeorgian:

Original Post by pgeorgian:

there's a slalom skier from some place in africa who hadn't even seen snow until a couple of years ago. 

ghana.  he's from ghana.  he trains on wheeled skis.  you might be able to beat him, ig.  he qualified by being the only guy in the country who owned skis.

at least he has the sense to race slalom instead of downhill.

Yeah, it has a slightly derisive moniker of "olympic tourism". The IOC is trying to get more participation from various countries which have low participation in some sports. Georgia didn't even field a luge team in 2006, in fact they only competed in 3 sports: a couple downhill slaloms and figure skating.

It's a tragic thing. I bet it'll result in a re-evaluation of the olympic tourism concept.

Original Post by pgeorgian:

yeah, you only have to qualify according to the standards set by the olympic committee of your own country.  there's a slalom skier from some place in africa who hadn't even seen snow until a couple of years ago. 

Is this different for the winter olympics?  In the summer games you have to meet the international olympic standard.  An American wrestler finished second in the world championships in 07 and almost didn't get into the 08 games (he was an alternate and 2 guys from other countries who were ahead of him had to pull out) because the US didn't meet the olympic standard.

I also remember watching the Track and Field trials in 04 and the guy who won hadn't met the olympic standard yet so unless he beat a certain time between the trials and the games the guy who came in second at trials (who had met the olympic standard) would have gone instead.

Original Post by pgeorgian:

i can't find anything in the ESPN article about how much experience he had.

It's towards the bottome:

"Officials in Vancouver and Whistler both stressed that no decisions regarding what happens next would be made before the initial investigation is complete.

Kumaritashvili competed in five World Cup races this season, finishing 44th in the world standings.

Five-time Olympian Mark Grimmette, chosen as the U.S. team's flag bearer, said the speeds on the track are pushing the boundaries of safety."

Original Post by floggingsully:

Original Post by pgeorgian:

yeah, you only have to qualify according to the standards set by the olympic committee of your own country.  there's a slalom skier from some place in africa who hadn't even seen snow until a couple of years ago. 

Is this different for the winter olympics? 

the governing body for each sport sets the bar.  most are points-based.  my understanding now is that tomorrow would have been the georgian's 5th start.

I didn't want to watch the video, not watching TV these days so I didn't have to see it replayed there over and over.

The track is ridiculously fast, or at least that's my impression after reading an article about the Australian team's reaction to the accident.   "Officials" have said the track is not to blame.  Yeah, right, I think we'll hear more about that as time goes on.

Original Post by carmenxox:

luge is a stupid sport.

 

 What a mature statement in regards to this post.

Anyway, I saw that video this morning and it was horrifying. They played it several times in a row and it was such an awful thing to have to watch.

Honestly I don't see the "sport" in luge either. It's just like saying, "hey guys, let's see who can go down the slide the fastest!" Well, like that, only about a million times more dangerous and risky. I'd rather watch people compete in an event that actually involves some real physical competition. I still feel terrible about that accident though. What a tragic way to start this year's olympics.

Original Post by figurethefat:

I didn't want to watch the video, not watching TV these days so I didn't have to see it replayed there over and over.

The track is ridiculously fast, or at least that's my impression after reading an article about the Australian team's reaction to the accident.   "Officials" have said the track is not to blame.  Yeah, right, I think we'll hear more about that as time goes on.

It is (was) very fast, but not unmanagably so. Luge top speeds tend to range between 120-160km/h (~ 75-100mph), and top speeds on this track was 148 km/h (~ 92mph). That said, it's the Olympics, not one of the many various world competitions. It's meant to be the most challenging possible.

They've moved the start to a lower elevation to reduce the overall max speed and the athletes themselves are annoyed by that. They trained on the fast course, they WANT the fast course.