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Georgian luger injured in crash dies

Middleground

Middleground

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On the eve of the Vancouver Olympics opening ceremony, tragedy strikes on the luge course. How incredibly sad for this athlete, his family and his Georgian team. Not sure how the Olympic Committee will handle this, but they certainly have their work cut out for them, I think.

If you happen on the video of this accident, it is strongly advised to not watch. From what I have read, it is extremely gruesome.

RIP, Nodar.



Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili, who suffered a horrific crash Friday in an Olympic training run at Whistler, has died, the International Olympic Committee confirmed to CBC.

Kumaritashvili was coming around the final 270-degree turn, where speeds approach 140 km/h, when he flipped off his sled and flew into a metal pole.

Medics administered CPR to the 21-year-old from Borjomi, Georgia, before he was lifted into an ambulance. An air-rescue helicopter arrived eight minutes after the crash.

Training was suspended indefinitely. Members of the International Luge Federation were called for a briefing and team captains from each country were asked to attend a meeting.

More to come
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Vancouver Now - Georgian luger injured in crash dies
 
How sad, all that training and getting on the country's Olympic team and then this happens. I read on ESPN that part of the luge track is 50/50 because there is a 50% chance that you will flip on a few of the turns.
 
soccerboy22 said:
How sad, all that training and getting on the country's Olympic team and then this happens. I read on ESPN that part of the luge track is 50/50 because there is a 50% chance that you will flip on a few of the turns.
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Yeah it is sad. Luging is a pretty dangerous sport, obviously.
 
soccerboy22 said:
How sad, all that training and getting on the country's Olympic team and then this happens. I read on ESPN that part of the luge track is 50/50 because there is a 50% chance that you will flip on a few of the turns.
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It seems the course is too fast and dangerous from what I have read. This is not good, and I can't help but think how this was not determined well in advance of the Olympics. However, I don't know the full details, and members are currently meeting to decide on how to proceed from here on.
 
Middleground said:
It seems the course is too fast and dangerous from what I have read. This is not good, and I can't help but think how this was not determined well in advance of the Olympics. However, I don't know the full details, and members are currently meeting to decide on how to proceed from here on.
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I know when I read the article on ESPN my first thought was how can who ever is in charge of this track miss so a big thing. I do not think one Olympian that ESPN interviewed at a positive thing to say about the track. I hope they are able to find a fix for it because 50% is too big of chance imo for an Olympic event.
 
soccerboy22 said:
I know when I read the article on ESPN my first thought was how can who ever is in charge of this track miss so a big thing. I do not think one Olympian that ESPN interviewed at a positive thing to say about the track. I hope they are able to find a fix for it because 50% is too big of chance imo for an Olympic event.
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It's sounding like the designers were perhaps overly ambitious.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3seT8VHl-E"]YouTube- Fastest Luge Track Ever?[/ame]
 
Middleground said:
It seems the course is too fast and dangerous from what I have read. This is not good, and I can't help but think how this was not determined well in advance of the Olympics. However, I don't know the full details, and members are currently meeting to decide on how to proceed from here on.
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They can, and are going to slow it down it sounds like.
 
Redress said:
They can, and are going to slow it down it sounds like.
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Good I LOVE watching the Olympics and I love to see each countries athlete's give it their all for their country. When I read stories about universal complaints like this track it makes me worry that too much chance will come into play and may ruin the entire event.

That said GO U.S.A!
 
Middleground said:
On the eve of the Vancouver Olympics opening ceremony, tragedy strikes on the luge course. How incredibly sad for this athlete, his family and his Georgian team. Not sure how the Olympic Committee will handle this, but they certainly have their work cut out for them, I think.

If you happen on the video of this accident, it is strongly advised to not watch. From what I have read, it is extremely gruesome.

RIP, Nodar.
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I watched it live. I'm a huge Olympics fan. Two guys had already crashed before him that morning out of maybe 10 or 12, and another nasty one the day before from what I hear. They really have to fix something with that course.

He was going so fast when he crashed that I knew he was dead instantly. The medics made great time getting to him but there was no chance, he flew right into a metal support column. (The video isn't that "gruesome", but some pictures I've seen on the web of them trying to revive him were pretty bad.)
Middleground said:
Thing is, I don't recall any prior deaths from this sport. Do you know of any?
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I looked it up and found at least 5 previous Olympics deaths, including one in the luge (I believe in 1964).
 
Tsunami said:
I watched it live. I'm a huge Olympics fan. Two guys had already crashed before him that morning out of maybe 10 or 12, and another nasty one the day before from what I hear. They really have to fix something with that course.

He was going so fast when he crashed that I knew he was dead instantly. The medics made great time getting to him but there was no chance, he flew right into a metal support column. (The video isn't that "gruesome", but some pictures I've seen on the web of them trying to revive him were pretty bad.)

I looked it up and found at least 5 previous Olympics deaths, including one in the luge (I believe in 1964).
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My question is do they have enough time for fix it? I mean because if the luge event starts either Saturday or Sunday will they have to find a different track or just go with the obvious dangerous track?

Those questions weren't direct at you, but more in general.
 
When I was in my 30s I was a member of a small group who looked to test ourselves, one member and friend was in the British Bobsleigh team then, so we did the Cresta run, I don't scare easy, I did it once and only once, I chickened out of doing Pamplona.
 
soccerboy22 said:
My question is do they have enough time for fix it? I mean because if the luge event starts either Saturday or Sunday will they have to find a different track or just go with the obvious dangerous track?

Those questions weren't direct at you, but more in general.
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I think they would cancel it before they would do this again. It was crazy out there. If they can't alter the course somehow I am sure they have a backup course available.

Staudinger said there would be a meeting with International Olympic Committee and Vancouver organizing committee officials Friday night to discuss the event’s future at the 2010 Olympic Games.

Asked if the luge event might be in jeopardy, he said: “Honestly, anything is possible.”
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B L Zeebub said:
When I was in my 30s I was a member of a small group who looked to test ourselves, one member and friend was in the British Bobsleigh team then, so we did the Cresta run, I don't scare easy, I did it once and only once, I chickened out of doing Pamplona.
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I think it is an easy event to make fun of, but I already know if some one were to tell me to try it I would be scared out of my mind. I mean I would do it, but there is a good chance I would be crying or I would have peed myself by the time I hit the bottom. Especially if I was going that fast.
 
Tsunami said:
I think they would cancel it before they would do this again. It was crazy out there. If they can't alter the course somehow I am sure they have a backup course available.
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I hope they do have a backup course available then, because like you I love the Olympics and it would upset me to see an entire event canceled because of bad design. I mean these Olympians have trained for years to get the chance to represent their country and then it is taken away from them for something out of their control.
 
soccerboy22 said:
I think it is an easy event to make fun of, but I already know if some one were to tell me to try it I would be scared out of my mind. I mean I would do it, but there is a good chance I would be crying or I would have peed myself by the time I hit the bottom. Especially if I was going that fast.
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I did not get anywere near that speed, I have raced class 5 go karts, and when you are that close to the ground the speed does appear to be far greater:)
 
Going 80 mph+ sitting on what amounts to a giant ice skate with your ass inches above the ground does not sound like much fun.
 
soccerboy22 said:
My question is do they have enough time for fix it? I mean because if the luge event starts either Saturday or Sunday will they have to find a different track or just go with the obvious dangerous track?

Those questions weren't direct at you, but more in general.
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A simple warming of the the ice should slow down the lugers, because of the increased friction. I wonder if luging organizers are going to enact stricter regulation, like a speed cap. The Canadians have had quite a bit of practice on this track and I think that contributes to the problem. Less experienced competitors are in far greater danger.
 
Thoughts on the track yesterday, from the athletes themselves:
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3seT8VHl-E"]YouTube- Fastest Luge Track Ever?[/ame]

Here's another report:

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJDZKUekqKg"]YouTube- Olympic Luger From Georgia Dies After Crash[/ame]
 
Blackdog said:
Going 80 mph+ sitting on what amounts to a giant ice skate with your ass inches above the ground does not sound like much fun.
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Stick with Wii then:)
 
RIP Nodar....
 
Leave it up to the Canadians to create a luge death trap and fail to light a fire properly.

Nice start to your games, Canucks. They should cancel the rest now.
 
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