Winter olympics tragedy

[JustMike]

http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/World-News/Luge-Olympics-Accident-Nodar-Kumaritashvili-Dies-In-Whistler-Canada/Article/201002215547916?f=rss

 

..and this after 2 more were injured!!

[Red Alert]

http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/World-News/Luge-Olympics-Accident-Nodar-Kumaritashvili-Dies-In-Whistler-Canada/Article/201002215547916?f=rss

 

..and this after 2 more were injured!!

 

Someone forwarded me the video of the actual crash in an email, horrific accident. But then a sport that you go 90mph downhill on a sledge was never the safest idea anyway. RIP

[St Landrew]

Apparently, the Whistler, as the track is called is at least 15 mph faster than all than all other tracks. It was only opened in 2008, so is a new one, which answers the question of how the dangers of this particular track have only just come into the widespread public domain. Some athletes reckon it's too fast.

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/olympic_games/vancouver_2010/luge/8513595.stm

[Saint Keith]

tragic. but, tbf, it is total madness going down that on a tea tray, only second the to skeleton, going down that on a tea tray, head first:rolleyes:

[St Landrew]

tragic. but, tbf, it is total madness going down that on a tea tray, only second the to skeleton, going down that on a tea tray, head first:rolleyes:

 

Whilst I wouldn't even begin to slide down a ice channel like that, I did learn to sledge quite well as a kid, and had a proper sledge, although practices were few and far between. Whilst all the kids would sit on their sledges, and slowly fall off, I would lie on my stomach and chest, head first, and hardly ever came to grief, even though I used to try to find the steepest slopes I could. I would run to the tip of the slope and throw myself down onto the sledge to get maximum speed. I even used to wax and polish the runners. I would use my feet as rudders and brakes. I did once leave the ground and fell about 15ft to the next slope and promptly put my teeth through my bottom lip. That bloody well hurt, but sledging was great fun.

[Saint_Jonny]

I just opened an email with the video inside it. I watched it thinking "ahhh it wont be that bad" (naive I know!) and its just awful. The guy slams head first into a girder at what must be 50mph. ****ing stupid.

[Saint Keith]

I just opened an email with the video inside it. I watched it thinking "ahhh it wont be that bad" (naive I know!) and its just awful. The guy slams head first into a girder at what must be 50mph. ****ing stupid.

 

apparently its about 90 round that final corner

 

they are making them start from the womens start now, to slow it down a bit

[Torrent Of Abuse]

They showed it on TV here. Chilling. Just chilling. :-[