Man I hope they build up that wall.
Too young to go...
They should build some kind of net or something similar to keep the sledders on the track. I watched the video of the accident, and I wish I didn't. That "thud" noise from the hit just gives me the creeps. The only good thing is that it happened so fast that he probably didn't see it coming, and he probably (hopfully) didn't feel anything.
RIP Nodar Kumaritashvili
From what I have read, a lot of his competitors said the track was pushing it a bit too much.
Well, guess that turned out to be true. Poor guy. Sad story.
In other words.......
People on my facebook are make the beast with two backsing idiots.
They had all these posts about the death of this athlete and prayers for the US Team.
They all thought he was from Georgia...............USA Georgia.
Seriously?
Amazing how moronic some are.
Rest in Peace bro. I hope you loved your sport enough to be happy giving your life for it. My best friend is a professional race car driver and we've discussed this issue. I will always know that if something tragic happened (which almost did a few years ago at Homestead in practice) that he died a happy person doing what he loved and it was his passion. I hope this Luger had the same feelings.
God Speed.
Why the make the beast with two backs is the track built with columns right in the path that one would take if you are thrown off the course?
I know nothing about luge, but does that make any sense at all?
LA
Quote from: cyrus buelton on February 12, 2010, 07:22:57 PM
They had all these posts about the death of this athlete and prayers for the US Team.
They all thought he was from Georgia...............USA Georgia.
i'm just taking a minute to [laugh] at this in an otherwise serious sort of thd.
I hope they get that section of track sorted before anyone else gets hurt
Quote from: LA on February 13, 2010, 07:44:16 AM
Why the make the beast with two backs is the track built with columns right in the path that one would take if you are thrown off the course?
I know nothing about luge, but does that make any sense at all?
LA
I thought the same thing. Not like we have telephone poles and such just off the track in Moto GP races. There is a clear wash-out zone for those who lose control. Why not the same in luge? RIP Georgian luge dude.
Quote from: Grappa on February 13, 2010, 08:07:45 AM
I thought the same thing. Not like we have telephone poles and such just off the track in Moto GP races. There is a clear wash-out zone for those who lose control. Why not the same in luge? RIP Georgian luge dude.
iirc, the article I read mentioned that most of the track had padding and whatnot, just not the section where the guy crashed
I guess most of the time, when you wash out, you just keep sliding down the tube...
idk the last time I've seen a luge/bobsled/skeleton fly out of it
Is the Luge Course the same as Bobsled?
or does Luge share the same course as skeleton or skeletor racing, whatever those crazy mofo's do head first down that track.
Quote from: cyrus buelton on February 13, 2010, 08:27:31 AM
Is the Luge Course the same as Bobsled?
or does Luge share the same course as skeleton or skeletor racing, whatever those crazy mofo's do head first down that track.
Same track. I read somewhere this is a $100 million facility.
http://www.vancouver2010.com/olympic-bobsleigh/ (http://www.vancouver2010.com/olympic-bobsleigh/)
I wonder if they some how modify the track in a way to accommodate the different sports.
I would think a 4 man bobsled would want a longer track then a 1 person luge racer.
Maybe a different starting point higher up and a small track modification that switches into a section?
what i read is they are going to start the men's race at the women's start point. also apparently he had hit a speed of 144 KPH and at turns 15 to 16 had pull so many G's that it collapsed him hard against his luge and he had trouble steering and made an error. the same error 3 or 4 times out of 16 runs before he finally crashed against the rail.
they raised the side of the track as well in that area, little late.
tough tough stuff, but have to wonder at what point does his coach say, you know what, i don't think you're ready for this track. 25% crash rate... wow.
Quote from: cyrus buelton on February 13, 2010, 08:54:21 AM
I wonder if they some how modify the track in a way to accommodate the different sports.
I would think a 4 man bobsled would want a longer track then a 1 person luge racer.
Maybe a different starting point higher up and a small track modification that switches into a section?
Not positive, but I think all three disciplines compete on the same length track. Slightly different starting points.
Padding the columns wouldn't do anything. They need some thick hockey glass or something to contain the sledder. Same thing could easily happen again.
Quote from: kopfjäger on February 13, 2010, 09:04:10 AM
Not positive, but I think all three disciplines compete on the same length track. Slightly different starting points.
Quote from: kopfjäger on February 13, 2010, 09:04:10 AM
Not positive, but I think all three disciplines compete on the same length track. Slightly different starting points.
\\
They shortened the mens course to the start of the women's luge from what it seems like.
Off comment:
How do they steer these things?
Is it leg movement against those "horns" they grab when they stop at the end of the course?
Quote from: cyrus buelton on February 13, 2010, 05:25:52 PM
How do they steer these things?
Is it leg movement against those "horns" they grab when they stop at the end of the course?
yup...
Quote from: derby on February 13, 2010, 05:44:43 PM
yup...
That is what I figured, but amazing considering the "ski" or whatever you call the point of contact on the track is one continuous piece.
Must be lots of flex in the material of the sled.
Quote from: cyrus buelton on February 13, 2010, 05:46:59 PM
That is what I figured, but amazing considering the "ski" or whatever you call the point of contact on the track is one continuous piece.
Must be lots of flex in the material of the sled.
they're called "runners..."
and yes, it's amazing... ;D
Quote from: derby on February 13, 2010, 05:52:44 PM
they're called "runners..."
and yes, it's amazing... ;D
You seem to know a lot about the louge.
What is the body made out of?
Quote from: cyrus buelton on February 13, 2010, 06:55:17 PM
What is the body made out of?
The Luge is made of fiberglass.
They cost around $1k
Quote from: cyrus buelton on February 13, 2010, 06:55:17 PM
You seem to know a lot about the louge.
What is the body made out of?
perhaps you're not familiar with derby...
he knows everything. ;D
Around here we don't google things, we derby them.
;)
Tragic accident. :'( RIP.
Not to diminish the tragedy, but classic over reaction IMO. The wall would have been sufficient to improve safety. Flying out of the course was a freak accident...I've never seen it before (not that I watch every single event though). Moving the men's start 600 feet down the track, losing about 90 feet of vertical drop, sucks. It made the men's luge event somewhat boring. Like I said in the other thread...if they didn't nail the start their run was over. With the old configuration time could be made up in the lower section if you were 15 hundreths off or so at the start.
They were saying there had been over 5,000 runs on the course without serious injury. The course is for elite athletes...but not inherently dangerous IMO. Even the Georgian athlete said in an interview before his crash that he didn't think the course was too dangerous.
Luge, Bobsled, & Skeleton are all just dangerous. This was the second time a luge competitor was killed in practice right before the olympics.
Quote from: kopfjäger on February 13, 2010, 07:51:26 PM
The Luge is made of fiberglass.
They cost around $1k
That's pretty inexpensive............not saying a grand is a little bit of money, but for something like this....
That is about the same cost as a set of make the beast with two backsing skis and boots anymore, actually probably less.
Quote from: Triple J on February 14, 2010, 07:56:08 AM
Tragic accident. :'( RIP.
Not to diminish the tragedy, but classic over reaction IMO. The wall would have been sufficient to improve safety. Flying out of the course was a freak accident...I've never seen it before (not that I watch every single event though). Moving the men's start 600 feet down the track, losing about 90 feet of vertical drop, sucks. It made the men's luge event somewhat boring. Like I said in the other thread...if they didn't nail the start their run was over. With the old configuration time could be made up in the lower section if you were 15 hundreths off or so at the start.
They were saying there had been over 5,000 runs on the course without serious injury. The course is for elite athletes...but not inherently dangerous IMO. Even the Georgian athlete said in an interview before his crash that he didn't think the course was too dangerous.
Luge, Bobsled, & Skeleton are all just dangerous. This was the second time a luge competitor was killed in practice right before the olympics.
I agree with you.
It was ruled that the accident lied on the shoulders of the luger.
He came out of the previous corner wrong and that is what caused him to crash.
Freak accident and tragic.
Too young to leave the world, but risk is there when you are competing sports like this.
I was wondering if changing the track w/o a lot of practice time was actually more dangerous than keeping the original configuration and adding the fence?
We all know, you can die at 50mph just as easy as 90mph. They were still hitting high 80's. They rely on approaches 3 or 4 turns ahead of time for the right speed and line, and the competitors last night had to do that at 100% with little practice.
mitt