Luge at the 2010 Winter Olympics
Encyclopedia
The luge
competition events of the 2010 Winter Olympics
were held between 13 and 17 February 2010 at the Whistler Sliding Centre
in Whistler
, British Columbia
, Canada
.
(UTC-8
).
and the International Luge Federation
(FIL), 110 athletes were to be allowed to take part. This was to include 40 athletes for men's singles, 30 athletes for women's singles, and 20 doubles teams (40 athletes total). The 110-athlete maximum was set for the 2002 Winter Olympics
in Salt Lake City, Utah
, United States
, and repeated for the 2006 Winter Olympics
in Turin
, Italy
. Each NOC could enter up to 10 athletes (3 men's single, 3 women's single and 2 doubles).
*Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili
died during training, and teammate Levan Gureshidze withdrew.
+Romanian luger Violeta Strămăturaru
withdrew following concussion sustained during training.
, chair of the FIL Sport Commission. Other jury members included Zianbeth Shattuck-Owen (United States
), luge manager for the 2002 Games, and Markus Schmidt (Austria
), men's singles bronze medalist at the 1992 Winter Olympics
in Albertville
, France
. Technical Delegate Executive Board consists of Björn Drydahl (Norway
), Marie-Luise Rainer (Italy
) and Walter Corey (Canada).
controls would take place at the Olympics for the first time. FIL President Josef Fendt
stated during the 57th Congress in Liberec
, Czech Republic
, that no positive test had occurred during the Viessmann
World Cup or FIL ...[ European and World]... events despite the random testing done by the World Anti-Doping Agency
. The last two doping offenses that occurred in the FIL to cannabis
abuse and both athletes were punished by their national federations.
During a training session on 12 February, the Georgian
luger Nodar Kumaritashvili
died of injuries caused by a crash in the final turn of the course at speeds of 144.3 kilometres per hour (89.7 mph), crashing into the side of the turn, sending him crashing into a steel support pillar. The FIL immediately called an emergency meeting after the incident, and all other training runs were called off for the day.
Investigations were conducted the same day, concluding that the accident was not caused by deficiencies in the track. As a preventative measure, the walls at the exit of curve 16 will be raised and a change in the ice profile will be made. A joint statement was issued by the FIL, the International Olympic Committee
(IOC), and the Vancouver Organizing Committee (VANOC) over Kurmaitasvili's death with training suspended for the rest of that day. According to the Coroners Service of British Columbia and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
(RCMP), the cause was to Kumaritashvili coming out of turn 15 late and not compensating for turn 16. Because of this fatality, an extra 100 ft (30.5 m) of wall was added after the end of Turn 16 and the ice profile was changed. It also moved the men's singles luge event from its starthouse to the one for both the women's singles and men's doubles event. Kumaritashvili is the first Olympic athlete to die at the Winter Olympics in training since 1992
and the first luger to die in a practice event at the Winter Olympics since Kazimierz Kay-Skrzypeski
of Great Britain was killed at the luge track
used for the 1964 Winter Olympics
in Innsbruck
. It was also luge's first fatality since 10 December 1975 when an Italian
luger was killed.
The women's singles and men's doubles start was moved to the Junior start house of the track, located after turn 5. Germany's Natalie Geisenberger
complained that it was not a women's start but more of a kinder ("child" in German) start. Her teammate Tatjana Hüfner
who had the fastest speed on two runs of 82.3 mph (132.4 km/h) stated that the new start position "..does not help good starters like myself". American Erin Hamlin
stated the track was still demanding even after the distance was lessened from 1193 to 953 m (3,914 to 3,126.6 ft) and that athletes were still hitting 80 mph (128.7 km/h). However, media reports noted that as a result of the changes there were no major crashes during the men's singles competition.
During a 14 February 2010 interview with Yahoo! Sports, FIL Secretary-General Svein Romstad stated that the federation considered cancelling the luge competition in the wake of Kumaritashvili's death two days earlier. Romstad stated that "[Kumaritashvili] ... made a mistake" on the crash, but also stated that "...any fatality is unnacceptable". Additionally, Romstad stated that the start houses were moved to their current locations "... mostly for an emotional reason". Because of Kumaritashvili's death, the FIL is working with the organizing committee for the 2014 Winter Olympics
in Sochi
over making the Russian National Sliding Centre
in Rzhanaya Polyana
slower.
Despite the changes, and celebrations by the victorious athletes, Kumaritashvili's death overshadowed the race. Some athletes who participated in the competition said they were scared during their runs, and welcomed the track changes. Others criticized the changes as having given an advantage to stronger starters like the German participants, as opposed to weaker starters who would have benefited from having a longer course. Argentina's Ruben Gonzalez said, "God blessed the Germans today."
However, media reports mentioned the changes positively after a doubles team, Austria's Tobias
and Markus Schiegl
, crashed in the same turn where Kumaritashvili was killed. Both of them emerged unhurt thankfully.
On 18 February 2010, FIL President Josef Fendt
issued the following statement:
"At the conclusion of the luge competition at the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games, our thoughts are with the family of Nodar Kumaritashvili. We again offer our heartfelt condolences to them, to his friends and to the entire Georgian Luge Federation. Nodar Kumaritashvili will forever stay in the hearts of all the members of the Luge family.
This has also been a difficult time for the Olympic athletes who competed in these Games. Their solidarity and sportsmanship was a tribute to the friend we lost. The International Luge Federation is touched by the outpouring of compassion and sympathy from people around the world. We will leave Whistler determined to do all we can to prevent a recurrence of this tragic event."
During the ten actual competitive runs (four men single, four women single, and two doubles), there was only one crash which was Romania
's Mihaela Chiras
during the second run of the women's singles
event. 12,000 spectators attended each of the five days of luge competition.
On 23 March 2010, FIL President Fendt, VANOC President John Furlong
, 2010 men's singles gold medalist Felix Loch
of Germany
visited Kumaritashvili's grave in his hometown of Bakuriani
to pay respects as part of tradition in the Georgian Othrodox Church.
The FIL published their reports in regards to Kumaritashvili's death following the FIL Commissions Meeting in St. Leonhard, Austria
(near Salzburg
) for both sport and technical commissions on 9–11 April 2010. This report was prepared by Romstad and Claire DelNegro, Vice-President Sport Artificial Track, who is from the United States.
and ZDF
. The last run of the men's singles event had a share of 30.3 percent (1.82 million viewers) while the third run of the event had been watched by 5.32 million viewers (17.1 percent market share). Despite being broadcast in the middle of the night in Germany, the doubles event had a 22.6 percent market share.
Luge
A Luge is a small one- or two-person sled on which one sleds supine and feet-first. Steering is done by flexing the sled's runners with the calf of each leg or exerting opposite shoulder pressure to the seat. Racing sleds weigh 21-25 kilograms for singles and 25-30 kilograms for doubles. Luge...
competition events of the 2010 Winter Olympics
2010 Winter Olympics
The 2010 Winter Olympics, officially the XXI Olympic Winter Games or the 21st Winter Olympics, were a major international multi-sport event held from February 12–28, 2010, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with some events held in the suburbs of Richmond, West Vancouver and the University...
were held between 13 and 17 February 2010 at the Whistler Sliding Centre
Whistler Sliding Centre
The Whistler Sliding Centre is a Canadian bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton track located in Whistler, British Columbia, that is north of Vancouver. The centre is part of the Whistler Blackcomb resort, which comprises two ski mountains separated by Fitzsimmons Creek...
in Whistler
Whistler, British Columbia
Whistler is a Canadian resort town in the southern Pacific Ranges of the Coast Mountains in the province of British Columbia, Canada, approximately north of Vancouver...
, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
Medal table
| 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 5 | |
| 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | |
| 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| Total | 3 | 3 | 3 | 9 |
Events
Three luge events were held at the games:| Men's singles |
|||
| Women's singles |
|||
| Doubles |
Andreas Linger Andreas Linger Andreas Linger is an Austrian luger who has competed internationally since 2000. He and his younger brother Wolfgang began luging at a very young age, and did their first doubles run when they were 14... Wolfgang Linger Wolfgang Linger Wolfgang Linger is an Austrian luger who has competed internationally since 2000. As young children, he and his older brother Andreas learned to luge on a former Olympic luge track, and at age 14 began competing as a doubles team for the first time... |
Andris Šics Andris Šics Andris Šics is a Latvian luger who has competed since 1998. Competing in two Winter Olympics, he won a silver medal in the men's doubles event at Vancouver in 2010 alongside his teammate, older brother Juris Šics.... Juris Šics Juris Šics Juris Šics is a Latvian luger who has competed since 1998. Competing in two Winter Olympics, he won a silver medal in the men's doubles event at Vancouver in 2010 alongside his teammate, younger brother Andris Šics.... |
Patric Leitner Patric Leitner Patric-Fritz Leitner is a German luger who competed from 1998 to 2010. Together with Alexander Resch he won the men's doubles event at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, United States. They also competed at the 2006 Winter Olympics, finishing sixth... Alexander Resch Alexander Resch Alexander Resch is a German luger who competed from 1998 to 2010. Together with Patric Leitner, he won the men's doubles event at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, United States. They also competed at the 2006 Winter Olympics, finishing sixth... |
Competition schedule
All times are Pacific Standard TimePacific Time Zone
The Pacific Time Zone observes standard time by subtracting eight hours from Coordinated Universal Time . The clock time in this zone is based on the mean solar time of the 120th meridian west of the Greenwich Observatory. During daylight saving time, its time offset is UTC-7.In the United States...
(UTC-8
UTC-8
UTC−08:00 is an identifier for a time offset from UTC of −08. This time is used in:-As standard time :*Canada**Northwest Territories***Tungsten and the associated Cantung Mine*Mexico...
).
| Day | Date | Start | Finish | Event | Phase |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day 2 | Saturday, 13 February 2010 | 17:00 | 20:35 | men | heats 1 and 2 |
| Day 3 | Sunday, 14 February 2010 | 13:00 | 16:50 | men | heats 3 and 4 |
| Day 4 | Monday, 15 February 2010 | 17:00 | 19:55 | women | heats 1 and 2 |
| Day 5 | Tuesday, 16 February 2010 | 13:00 | 16:10 | women | heats 3 and 4 |
| Day 6 | Wednesday, 17 February 2010 | 17:00 | 19:15 | doubles | heats 1 and 2 |
Athlete/NOC quota
In accordance with the International Olympic CommitteeInternational Olympic Committee
The International Olympic Committee is an international corporation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin on 23 June 1894 with Demetrios Vikelas as its first president...
and the International Luge Federation
Fédération Internationale de Luge de Course
The International Luge Federation is the main international federation for all luge sports...
(FIL), 110 athletes were to be allowed to take part. This was to include 40 athletes for men's singles, 30 athletes for women's singles, and 20 doubles teams (40 athletes total). The 110-athlete maximum was set for the 2002 Winter Olympics
2002 Winter Olympics
The 2002 Winter Olympics, officially the XIX Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event that was celebrated in February 2002 in and around Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. Approximately 2,400 athletes from 77 nations participated in 78 events in fifteen disciplines, held throughout...
in Salt Lake City, Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and repeated for the 2006 Winter Olympics
2006 Winter Olympics
The 2006 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XX Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated in Turin, Italy from February 10, 2006, through February 26, 2006. This marked the second time Italy hosted the Olympic Winter Games, the first being the VII Olympic Winter...
in Turin
Turin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. Each NOC could enter up to 10 athletes (3 men's single, 3 women's single and 2 doubles).
Qualification system
Athletes were to be ranked by the number of world cup points they earned in the 2008–09 season and through the first half (before 31 December) of the 2009–10 season. To be eligible, athletes must either have earned metels and the world cup points in five World Cups, Nations Cup or Junior World Cup, or have a top-30 (men's single), top-20 (women's single) or top-16 (doubles) finish at the world cup during the qualification period. The top-40 men's single, top-30 women's single and top-20 doubles sleds were to be qualified for the Olympics, with unused quotas to be redistributed with priority given to unrepresented nations. The host nation (Canada) was to be guaranteed a sled in every event provided that they reached the minimum requirements.Final quotas
| Nations | Men | Women | Doubles | Total athletes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| 3 | 2 | 2 | 9 | |
| 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | |
| 3 | 3 | 2 | 10 | |
| 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 | |
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| 2* | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| 3 | 3 | 2 | 10 | |
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| 3 | 1 | 2 | 8 | |
| 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | |
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| 3 | 3 | 2 | 10 | |
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | |
| 1 | 2+ | 2 | 7 | |
| 3 | 3 | 2 | 10 | |
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | |
| 1 | 2 | 1 | 5 | |
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| 0 | 2 | 2 | 6 | |
| 3 | 3 | 2 | 10 | |
| Total: 25 NOCs | 39 | 29 | 20 | 108 |
*Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili
Nodar Kumaritashvili
Nodar David Kumaritashvili was a Georgian luger, who suffered a fatal crash during a training run for the 2010 Winter Olympics competition in Vancouver, Canada, on the day of the opening ceremony...
died during training, and teammate Levan Gureshidze withdrew.
+Romanian luger Violeta Strămăturaru
Violeta Strămăturaru
Violeta Strămăturaru is a Romanian luger who has competed since 2001. Her older sister Raluca Strămăturaru is also a luger.Strămăturaru best Luge World Cup season finish was 32nd in women's singles in 2008-09. She qualified for the 2010 Winter Olympics...
withdrew following concussion sustained during training.
Jury selection
On 15 June 2009, the FIL announced their jury members for the 2010 Winter Olympics. The jury was to be headed by Josef Benz (SwitzerlandSwitzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, chair of the FIL Sport Commission. Other jury members included Zianbeth Shattuck-Owen (United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
), luge manager for the 2002 Games, and Markus Schmidt (Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
), men's singles bronze medalist at the 1992 Winter Olympics
1992 Winter Olympics
The 1992 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XVI Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event celebrated from 8 to 23 February 1992 in Albertville, France. They were the last Winter Olympics to be held the same year as the Summer Olympics, and the first where the Winter Paralympics...
in Albertville
Albertville
Albertville is a commune in the Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.The town is best known for hosting the 1992 Winter Olympics.-Geography:...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. Technical Delegate Executive Board consists of Björn Drydahl (Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
), Marie-Luise Rainer (Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
) and Walter Corey (Canada).
Doping control
On 21 July 2009, the FIL announced that blood dopingDoping (sport)
The use of performance-enhancing drugs in sport is commonly referred to by the term "doping", particularly by those organizations that regulate competitions. The use of performance enhancing drugs is mostly done to improve athletic performance. This is why many sports ban the use of performance...
controls would take place at the Olympics for the first time. FIL President Josef Fendt
Josef Fendt
Josef Fendt is the current president of the Fédération Internationale de Luge de Course . He was a West German-German luger who competed from the mid 1960s to the mid 1970s...
stated during the 57th Congress in Liberec
Liberec
Liberec is a city in the Czech Republic. Located on the Lusatian Neisse and surrounded by the Jizera Mountains and Ještěd-Kozákov Ridge, it is the fifth-largest city in the Czech Republic....
, Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
, that no positive test had occurred during the Viessmann
Viessmann
The Viessmann Group is an international heating systems manufacturer headquartered in Allendorf , Germany. The group controlls 23 production and project management divisions in 11 countries, its products are available in 74 countries, owns 32 subsidiaries and 120 sales offices around the world...
World Cup or FIL ...[ European and World]... events despite the random testing done by the World Anti-Doping Agency
World Anti-Doping Agency
The World Anti-Doping Agency , , is an independent foundation created through a collective initiative led by the International Olympic Committee . It was set up on November 10, 1999 in Lausanne, Switzerland, as a result of what was called the "Declaration of Lausanne", to promote, coordinate and...
. The last two doping offenses that occurred in the FIL to cannabis
Cannabis
Cannabis is a genus of flowering plants that includes three putative species, Cannabis sativa, Cannabis indica, and Cannabis ruderalis. These three taxa are indigenous to Central Asia, and South Asia. Cannabis has long been used for fibre , for seed and seed oils, for medicinal purposes, and as a...
abuse and both athletes were punished by their national federations.
Fatality
The Whistler Sliding Centre is acknowledged as the fastest track in the world and has a reputation of the most dangerous one. In the build-up to the games several teams had raised concerns about the safety of athletes. An FIL spokesman said on 12 February that there had been 2,500 runs with only a three percent crash rate. However, a week prior to the incident athletes were remarking on the speed and technical difficulty of the 1400 m (4,593.2 ft) track. Several minor accidents occurred on the track during training runs leading up to the start of the games.During a training session on 12 February, the Georgian
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
luger Nodar Kumaritashvili
Nodar Kumaritashvili
Nodar David Kumaritashvili was a Georgian luger, who suffered a fatal crash during a training run for the 2010 Winter Olympics competition in Vancouver, Canada, on the day of the opening ceremony...
died of injuries caused by a crash in the final turn of the course at speeds of 144.3 kilometres per hour (89.7 mph), crashing into the side of the turn, sending him crashing into a steel support pillar. The FIL immediately called an emergency meeting after the incident, and all other training runs were called off for the day.
Investigations were conducted the same day, concluding that the accident was not caused by deficiencies in the track. As a preventative measure, the walls at the exit of curve 16 will be raised and a change in the ice profile will be made. A joint statement was issued by the FIL, the International Olympic Committee
International Olympic Committee
The International Olympic Committee is an international corporation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin on 23 June 1894 with Demetrios Vikelas as its first president...
(IOC), and the Vancouver Organizing Committee (VANOC) over Kurmaitasvili's death with training suspended for the rest of that day. According to the Coroners Service of British Columbia and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Royal Canadian Mounted Police
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police , literally ‘Royal Gendarmerie of Canada’; colloquially known as The Mounties, and internally as ‘The Force’) is the national police force of Canada, and one of the most recognized of its kind in the world. It is unique in the world as a national, federal,...
(RCMP), the cause was to Kumaritashvili coming out of turn 15 late and not compensating for turn 16. Because of this fatality, an extra 100 ft (30.5 m) of wall was added after the end of Turn 16 and the ice profile was changed. It also moved the men's singles luge event from its starthouse to the one for both the women's singles and men's doubles event. Kumaritashvili is the first Olympic athlete to die at the Winter Olympics in training since 1992
1992 Winter Olympics
The 1992 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XVI Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event celebrated from 8 to 23 February 1992 in Albertville, France. They were the last Winter Olympics to be held the same year as the Summer Olympics, and the first where the Winter Paralympics...
and the first luger to die in a practice event at the Winter Olympics since Kazimierz Kay-Skrzypeski
Kazimierz Kay-Skrzypeski
Kazimierz Kay-Skrzypecki was a Polish-born British luge racer.Kay-Skrzypecki was a former pilot in the Royal Air Force. He died during one of the training runs for the first Olympic luge competition at the 1964 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck. Three days later, on 26 January 1964, Australian...
of Great Britain was killed at the luge track
Igls bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton track
The Olympic Sliding Centre Innsburck is a venue for bobsleigh, luge and skeleton located in Igls, Austria . The most recent version of the track was completed in 1975 and is the first permanent, combination artificially refrigerated bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton track, serving as a model for other...
used for the 1964 Winter Olympics
1964 Winter Olympics
The 1964 Winter Olympics, officially known as the IX Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated in Innsbruck, Austria, from January 29 to February 9, 1964...
in Innsbruck
Innsbruck
- Main sights :- Buildings :*Golden Roof*Kaiserliche Hofburg *Hofkirche with the cenotaph of Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor*Altes Landhaus...
. It was also luge's first fatality since 10 December 1975 when an Italian
Italian people
The Italian people are an ethnic group that share a common Italian culture, ancestry and speak the Italian language as a mother tongue. Within Italy, Italians are defined by citizenship, regardless of ancestry or country of residence , and are distinguished from people...
luger was killed.
The women's singles and men's doubles start was moved to the Junior start house of the track, located after turn 5. Germany's Natalie Geisenberger
Natalie Geisenberger
Natalie Geisenberger is a German luger. She won a bronze medal in the women's singles event at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver....
complained that it was not a women's start but more of a kinder ("child" in German) start. Her teammate Tatjana Hüfner
Tatjana Hüfner
Tatjana Hüfner is a German luger who is the current Olympic Champion and has competed since 2003. She won the bronze medal in the women's singles at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin...
who had the fastest speed on two runs of 82.3 mph (132.4 km/h) stated that the new start position "..does not help good starters like myself". American Erin Hamlin
Erin Hamlin
Erin Hamlin is an American luger who has competed since 2005. She won the gold medal in the women's singles event at the 2009 FIL World Luge Championships in Lake Placid, New York; this marked the first time in 99 races that a German woman was not the top finisher.Hamlin finished 12th in the...
stated the track was still demanding even after the distance was lessened from 1193 to 953 m (3,914 to 3,126.6 ft) and that athletes were still hitting 80 mph (128.7 km/h). However, media reports noted that as a result of the changes there were no major crashes during the men's singles competition.
During a 14 February 2010 interview with Yahoo! Sports, FIL Secretary-General Svein Romstad stated that the federation considered cancelling the luge competition in the wake of Kumaritashvili's death two days earlier. Romstad stated that "[Kumaritashvili] ... made a mistake" on the crash, but also stated that "...any fatality is unnacceptable". Additionally, Romstad stated that the start houses were moved to their current locations "... mostly for an emotional reason". Because of Kumaritashvili's death, the FIL is working with the organizing committee for the 2014 Winter Olympics
2014 Winter Olympics
The 2014 Winter Olympics, officially the XXII Olympic Winter Games, or the 22nd Winter Olympics, is a major international multi-sport event scheduled to be celebrated from 7 to 23 February 2014, in Sochi, Russia with some events held in the resort town of Krasnaya Polyana. Both the Olympic and...
in Sochi
Sochi
Sochi is a city in Krasnodar Krai, Russia, situated just north of Russia's border with the de facto independent republic of Abkhazia, on the Black Sea coast. Greater Sochi sprawls for along the shores of the Black Sea near the Caucasus Mountains...
over making the Russian National Sliding Centre
Russian National Sliding Centre
The Russian National Sliding Centre is a bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton track that will be located in Rzhanaya Polyana, Russia, located 60 km northeast of Sochi...
in Rzhanaya Polyana
Rzhanaya Polyana
Rzhanaya Polyana is a natural area in Krasnodar Krai, Russia, located not far from Krasnaya Polyana.Home of the to be constructed Russian National Sliding Centre, it will host the bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton events for the 2014 Winter Olympics held in Sochi....
slower.
Despite the changes, and celebrations by the victorious athletes, Kumaritashvili's death overshadowed the race. Some athletes who participated in the competition said they were scared during their runs, and welcomed the track changes. Others criticized the changes as having given an advantage to stronger starters like the German participants, as opposed to weaker starters who would have benefited from having a longer course. Argentina's Ruben Gonzalez said, "God blessed the Germans today."
However, media reports mentioned the changes positively after a doubles team, Austria's Tobias
Tobias Schiegl
Tobias Schiegl is an Austrian luger who competed from 1993 to 2010. He won fourteen medals at the FIL World Luge Championships with five golds , five silvers , and four bronzes Tobias Schiegl (born October 5, 1973 in Kufstein) is an Austrian luger who competed from 1993 to 2010. He won fourteen...
and Markus Schiegl
Markus Schiegl
Markus Schiegl is an Austrian luger who has competed from 1987 to 2010. He won fourteen medals at the FIL World Luge Championships with five golds , five silvers , and four bronzes Markus Schiegl (born 07.06.1975 in Kufstein) is an Austrian luger who has competed from 1987 to 2010. He won fourteen...
, crashed in the same turn where Kumaritashvili was killed. Both of them emerged unhurt thankfully.
On 18 February 2010, FIL President Josef Fendt
Josef Fendt
Josef Fendt is the current president of the Fédération Internationale de Luge de Course . He was a West German-German luger who competed from the mid 1960s to the mid 1970s...
issued the following statement:
"At the conclusion of the luge competition at the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games, our thoughts are with the family of Nodar Kumaritashvili. We again offer our heartfelt condolences to them, to his friends and to the entire Georgian Luge Federation. Nodar Kumaritashvili will forever stay in the hearts of all the members of the Luge family.
This has also been a difficult time for the Olympic athletes who competed in these Games. Their solidarity and sportsmanship was a tribute to the friend we lost. The International Luge Federation is touched by the outpouring of compassion and sympathy from people around the world. We will leave Whistler determined to do all we can to prevent a recurrence of this tragic event."
During the ten actual competitive runs (four men single, four women single, and two doubles), there was only one crash which was Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
's Mihaela Chiras
Mihaela Chiras
Mihaela Chiras is a Romanian luger who has competed since 2005. Her best finish at the FIL World Luge Championships was 28th in the women's singles event at Oberhof in 2008....
during the second run of the women's singles
Luge at the 2010 Winter Olympics – Women's singles
The women's luge at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada took place on 15–16 February at the Whistler Sliding Centre in Whistler, British Columbia. Germany's Sylke Otto is the two-time defending Olympic champion. Otto retired midway through the 2006-07 season in January 2007 to pregnancy...
event. 12,000 spectators attended each of the five days of luge competition.
On 23 March 2010, FIL President Fendt, VANOC President John Furlong
John Furlong (Canadian)
John Furlong, O.C, O.B.C was the President and Chief Executive Officer of VANOC which oversaw the preparation and execution of the 2010 Winter Olympics and 2010 Winter Paralympics Games...
, 2010 men's singles gold medalist Felix Loch
Felix Loch
Felix Loch is a German luger and Olympic champion. He has been competing since 1995 and has been on the German national team since 2006. He won five medals at the FIL World Luge Championships with four golds and one silver...
of Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
visited Kumaritashvili's grave in his hometown of Bakuriani
Bakuriani
Bakuriani is a skiing resort in the Borjomi district of Georgia. It is located on the northern slope of the Trialeti Range, at an elevation of 1,700 meters above sea level....
to pay respects as part of tradition in the Georgian Othrodox Church.
The FIL published their reports in regards to Kumaritashvili's death following the FIL Commissions Meeting in St. Leonhard, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
(near Salzburg
Salzburg
-Population development:In 1935, the population significantly increased when Salzburg absorbed adjacent municipalities. After World War II, numerous refugees found a new home in the city. New residential space was created for American soldiers of the postwar Occupation, and could be used for...
) for both sport and technical commissions on 9–11 April 2010. This report was prepared by Romstad and Claire DelNegro, Vice-President Sport Artificial Track, who is from the United States.
Television ratings
Ratings in Germany for the luge events had six million viewers for the women's singles luge events, generating a 25.6 percent share and a 34 ranking according to ARDARD (broadcaster)
ARD is a joint organization of Germany's regional public-service broadcasters...
and ZDF
ZDF
Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen , ZDF, is a public-service German television broadcaster based in Mainz . It is run as an independent non-profit institution, which was founded by the German federal states . The ZDF is financed by television licence fees called GEZ and advertising revenues...
. The last run of the men's singles event had a share of 30.3 percent (1.82 million viewers) while the third run of the event had been watched by 5.32 million viewers (17.1 percent market share). Despite being broadcast in the middle of the night in Germany, the doubles event had a 22.6 percent market share.