 Poster: A snowHead
|
|
Very tough start to the Vancouver games with the Georgian luge rider killed in a brutal crash earlier today. Not surprisingly there's a sombre mood around Whistler but the general feeling amongst people and the athletes is that the show will go on.... A very stark reminder of how vulnerable the adrenaline sport athletes really are. Even when standing on the side of the race hill or bob track it's easy to be a little remote from the degree of danger that every athlete travelling at these speeds is exposed to a horrific accident like this brings it all into very sharp focus. People DO get killed in pursuit of the extreme dream.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
Vancouver Insider, a very sad start to the games. Our thoughts are with his family & the Georgian team.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
|
|
Interesting comments made on Radio 4 news this morning. These runs should be designed so it is impossible to come out of the run. This unfortunate guy came off at the end of his last training run, and hit a pole (telegraph? light?). It seems there was no barrier around the run on this section, and no padding on the pole. The quote from the Canadians seemed to blame the Georgian. There were also comments that non-Canadian runners were not allowed to access the course adequately beforehand. Not a good start.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
Canada has very strictly allowed only its own athletes to train on the ice run. They have had over 10 times the practise than any other team.
i think this was probably a contributing factor as the foreign athletes have not had time to learn the track (the fastest and steepest in the world apparently) and have had to go-for-it right from the get-go.
Shame on you Canada for being so unsporting (and that is the best I can say).
ANYONE but Canada is my cry in the ice sliding events now.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
I have to say I'm pretty shocked at the continued airing of the crash - was just watching France 2 's olympic coverage while eating my dinner and they showed it with very little warning. Pretty damn disrespectful if you ask me, and must be incredibly hard for his family & close friends etc, at such a hard time, knowing the images are still being shown..
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
Jonpim, please let's not go down that H&S route as the inevitablke destination is another death - that of the sport itself.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I hope you guys won't understand this bad way, since it's not meant to be. To be honest, that's what I have been waiting for years, even though I was always hoping it will never happen. Olympics are top sport even on World, but that doesn't mean everyone should be allowed to race. To make things fair, they make tracks demanding (no matter if it's DH race or luge race), so best one wins, and athletes one step bellow top class are automatically out of contest for medals. But on the other side this means, people who have problems competing on easy tracks (I admit I have no idea about luge, but I do know a thing or two about skiing, and obviously things are same), will be in life danger on more demanding tracks. So organizers should consider this. They can make tracks easy and safe for everyone, and medals won't be distributed fair way, and best ones might not get them, or they can make it fair, but they should limit participations.
So even if some people think everyone should be allowed to start on Olympics, I still think there should be some limits. And not limits like they are now. I just read yesterday, that for xc skiing limit is 300 fis points. Yes 300 fis points! I have been in racing skiing for long enough, that I know how much 300 points mean, and what kinda skier you have to be, to get to 300 points (I was never anything good, but was still around 30 in best years). So with rules like this, and with mentality, that anyone who applies can race, we can unfortunately expect similar tragedies in future too.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Not sure padding on the poles would have helped - 90mph?!?
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
|
|
Jonpim, The pole was a girder holding up the room of the finish line zone.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
