The Official 2010 Winter Olympic Games Thread

[feardafronfz3]

RIP Nodar Kumaritashvili


VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- A men's luger from the former Soviet republic of Georgia died Friday after a high-speed crash during training for the Winter Games.

The International Olympic Committee said doctors were unable to revive Nodar Kumaritashvili, and the 21-year-old died at a hospital, hours before the Vancouver Olympics' opening ceremonies were to start.

IOC president Jacques Rogge said the death "clearly casts a shadow over these Games."

"The IOC is in deep mourning,'' said Rogge, who wiped his eyes and appeared choked up before speaking. "[Kumaritashvili] lost his life pursuing his passion. I have no words to say what we feel.''

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Rogge said an investigation is under way but would not comment further on the accident's implications for the luge competition.

"It is a time of sorrow, not a time to ask for reasons,'' he said.

The remaining seven members of the Georgian Olympic delegation planned to compete despite the tragedy and dedicated their performances to their fallen teammate. The athletes "decided to be loyal to the spirit of the Olympic Games," said Nikolos Rurua, Georgia's minister of culture and sport.

Kumaritashvili lost control of his sled, went over the track wall and struck an unpadded steel pole near the finish line at Whistler Sliding Center.

Rescue workers were at Kumaritashvili's side within seconds, chest compressions and mouth-to-mouth resuscitation started less than one minute after the crash, and he was quickly airlifted to a trauma center in Whistler.

The IOC said Kumaritashvili was pronounced dead at a trauma center in Whistler.

Vancouver organizing chief John Furlong said, "We are heartbroken beyond words."

Rogge said he spoke with the president of Georgia to express his sympathy.

Less than an hour after the accident, a representative from each team was told the grim news.

Kumaritashvili became the fourth Winter Olympics athlete to die since the Winter Games began in 1924 and first since 1992.

[+] EnlargeNodar Kumaritashvili
Peter Parks/AFP/Getty ImagesNodar Kumaritashvili lost control of his sled Friday, went over a track wall and struck a steel pole near the finish line at Whistler Sliding Center.

"USA Luge expresses its deepest sympathies to the family of Nodar Kumaritashvili, his teammates and coaches as well as the entire delegation from Georgia," USA Luge president Dwight Bell and CEO Ron Rossi said in a statement. "He will remain in our prayers."

The first sign Kumaritashvili was truly in trouble came only three seconds before the crash on Curve 13, the most perilous turn. His speed of 89.4 mph -- his best during six training runs on this track -- almost certainly means he had never gone faster.

Kumaritashvili's line -- as the path is known in luge -- entering the next-to-last curve had him traveling along a higher route than most racers prefer. That's where it got especially dangerous. His 176-pound body was no match for the gravitational forces along that sweeping turn. That, plus the high rate of speed, sent him careening up the high, banked, ice-covered wall.

Sliding diagonally down the wall, Kumaritashvili hit the corner entering the final straightaway with his lower body. The impact knocked him off the sled and flying across the track, his arms and legs flailing.

After smashing into the pole, he was motionless on a metal walkway. His left leg was in the air and his left foot was propped atop the track wall when the first rescue worker arrived and placed both hands on his helmet.

"It's a very rare situation," three-time Olympic champion and German coach Georg Hackl said before news of Kumaritashvili's death broke, clearly shaken moments after seeing Kumaritashvili tended to furiously by medical officials.

Shortly before the accident, Hackl said he didn't believe the track was unsafe.

"People have the opinion it is dangerous but the track crew does the best it can and they are working hard to make sure the track is in good shape and everyone is safe," he said. "My opinion is that it's not any more dangerous that anywhere else."

It was Kumaritashvili's second crash during training for the Vancouver Games. He also failed to finish his second of six practice runs, and in the runs he did finish, his average speed was about 88 mph -- significantly less than the speed the top sliders are managing on this lightning-fast course.

"My thoughts and prayers are with the Georgian Olympic team," U.S. bobsled pilot Steven Holcomb said on Twitter. "The sliding community suffered a tragic and devastating loss to our family today."

"RIP Nodar Kumaritashvili," wrote American skeleton athlete Kyle Tress, who did not qualify for the Olympic team. "Let's never forget how dangerous these sports can be."

More than a dozen athletes have crashed during Olympic training for luge, and some questioned whether athletes from smaller nations -- like Georgia -- had enough time to prepare for the daunting track.

For weeks leading up to the Olympics, a major concern for bobsledders, lugers and skeleton riders beyond their competition has been the formidable reputation of the track, generally considered the fastest sliding track in the world.

Fallen Olympians

Eighteen Olympic athletes and coaches have died tragically as the Games they were competing in or had particpated in took place, including luger Nodar Kumaritashvili, who died Friday:
Winter Games

• 1992 Albertville: Nicholas Bochatay of Switzerland died after crashing into a snow grooming machine during training for the demonstration sport of speed skiing.

• 1964 Innsbruck: Australian downhill skier Ross Milne died when he struck a tree during a training run. British luger Kazimierz Kay-Skrzypecki also died at Innsbruck in a crash during training.
Summmer Games

• 1972 Munich: Eleven Israelis athletes and coaches were taken hostage and later murdered by Palestinian terrorists.

• 1960 Rome: Danish cyclist Knud Enemark crashed during his race and fractured his skull and died at a hospital. His death was later attributed to ingestion of amphetamines and a blood-pressure medication.

• 1912 Stockholm: Marathon runner Francisco Lazaro of Portugal became severely dehydrated and collapsed during the race.

Holcomb, driver of USA I, nicknamed the course's 13th curve the "50-50" curve because of the odds of a crash.

The fatal crash places the politics of the track in a decidedly different light. Earlier in the winter, the American team complained of the tight restrictions the Canadian team placed on use of the Whistler track, which was seen as an example of simple gamesmanship. The Canadians are expected to do well during the Games and limited access to the track to preserve a competitive advantage.

During pre-competition interviews Thursday, sliding athletes discussed the difficulties and challenges of navigating the speed of the Whistler track. Generally, the athletes agreed the track was even more dangerous for bobsledders due to the significantly heavier weight of the sled.

Erin Pac, the driver of the second U.S. women's bobsled team sled, crashed on the Whistler track last year.

In light of Kumaritashvili's death, however, the Canadians will undoubtedly face criticism that with a track of such speed, athletes should have been given more practice time to become familiar with it.

At the finish area, not far from where Kumaritashvili lost control, athletes, coaches and officials solemnly awaited word on Kumaritashvili before eventually being ushered away. Access to the crash area was closed within about 30 minutes.

"I've never seen anything like that," said Shiva Keshavan, a four-time Olympian from India.

The remainder of men's training was canceled for the day, with VANOC officials saying in a release that an investigation was taking place to "ensure a safe field of play."

Women's luge Olympians are scheduled to train at the track Saturday morning, nine hours before the men's two-day competition is set to begin.

"It is a nervous situation," Latvian luge federation president Atis Strenga said. "It's a big tragedy for all [of] luge. I hope, we all hope, it's the first accident and the last accident in this race."

There was speculation that having the men's sliders start from the women's ramp -- which would shorten the course and possibly keep speed a bit more in check -- was among the options being considered.

[+] EnlargeNodar Kumaritashvili
AP Photo/Elise AmendolaKumaritashvili, preparing for his first training run Friday, became the third Winter Olympics athlete to die in training. None has died in competition.

Officials in Vancouver and Whistler both stressed that no decisions regarding what happens next would be made before the initial investigation is complete.

The Coroners Service of British Columbia and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police are leading the investigation. The Federation International de Luge is conducting a second investigation.

Kumaritashvili competed in five World Cup races this season, finishing 44th in the world standings.

Five-time Olympian Mark Grimmette, chosen as the U.S. team's flag bearer, said the speeds on the track are pushing the boundaries of safety.

"We're probably getting close," he said Thursday. "This track is fast and you definitely have to be on your game. ... So it's definitely something they are going to have to take into account on future tracks."

Earlier in the day, gold-medal favorite Armin Zoeggeler of Italy crashed, losing control of his sled on Curve 11. Zoeggeler came off his sled and held it with his left arm to keep it from smashing atop his body. He slid on his back down several curves before coming to a stop and walking away.

"I think they are pushing it a little too much," Australia's Hannah Campbell-Pegg said Thursday night after she nearly lost control in training. "To what extent are we just little lemmings that they just throw down a track and we're crash-test dummies? I mean, this is our lives."

A Romanian woman was briefly knocked unconscious and at least four Americans -- Chris Mazdzer on Wednesday, Megan Sweeney on Thursday and both Tony Benshoof and Bengt Walden on Friday in the same training session where Zoeggeler wrecked -- have had serious trouble just getting down the track.

"Skeleton racers may be able to 'starfish' and kind of correct themselves because they can put their feet down," U.S. women's bobsled driver Shauna Rohbock said Thursday. "Luge, I would think it would be kind of dangerous for them, and for bobsled, yes, we have round runners on our sleds, and once you try to make a change, it doesn't react instantly, so I think it is the most dangerous of all because of the weight.

"The top of this track is pretty technical, and just from the World Cup last year, watching the sleds come down and watching people make mistakes at the bottom, I noticed that even if you make a mistake down there, it doesn't take time away because everybody is going so fast," Rohbock said. "Everybody is going very, very fast at the bottom."

American luger Christian Niccum crashed during a World Cup event in Whistler last year.

"When I hit that ice going 90 mph it turns into fire," Niccum said Thursday. "I remember coming around to the finish and I just wanted to rip off my suit, 'I'm on fire. I'm on fire.'"

[KingCanuck]

Would fuk Nelly Furtado so hard... just sayin

[EricFTW]

damn what a way to start of the olympics, really sad. RIP


***GRAPHIC CONTENT***
this is the video, might be hard to watch for some.





http://www.breitbart.tv/graphic-vide...rom-sled-dies/

[Jyeatbvg]

That Northern Lights stuff is pretty cool, not gonna lie.

[feardafronfz3]

technology these days just blows my mind

[Jyeatbvg]

Orca whales part was so sick

[badabing81]

would be sick to have the tragically hip explode out of the floor and start rockin a track like bobcaygeon or something haha

if only..

[Jyeatbvg]

Not gonna lie, show started off slow but it's been pretty good so far..especially when we spent only $40 mil vs. China's $400 mil (don't get me wrong, China's was amazing)

I wonder where they got all the red falling maple leaves from..spray painted?

[Jyeatbvg]

We say ZED motherfukers

[mtomjr14]

damn what a way to start of the olympics, really sad. RIP

***GRAPHIC CONTENT***
this is the video, might be hard to watch for some.

http://www.breitbart.tv/graphic-vide...rom-sled-dies/

holy sh|t...

RIP

[Jyeatbvg]

wow strong cauldron fail...cmon canadian engineers..

[mojo85]

lol good job canada. The most important part of the opening ceremonies and you cant get the cauldron working.....well done


(yes canadian)

[Jyeatbvg]

Who seriously thought of Gretzky riding on a back of a truck to end the ceremonies?

luckily a lot of our American miscers aren't watching or else we'd be bashed like crazy

[feardafronfz3]

biden...you lazy bum

vice president=most insignificant white house position

[feardafronfz3]

LOL at gretzky's entrance

[feardafronfz3]

strong security also
fans running alongside the truck. also, chris collinsworth sucks ass

[Jyeatbvg]

On behalf of all the idiots in charge of this, I apologize to Gretzky...most awkward 10 minutes of his life and the whole time he was afraid he'd get jumped by those rowdy people running next to the car!

[TexasHeat]

Vancouver is a beautiful city, hope to pay a visit some day.

[KingCanuck]

Man, that was an epic lighting to the torch. Glad to see Steve Nash involved some how.

[Jyeatbvg]

[KingCanuck]

lmfao!!!!!!


would have been even funnier of the torch thingies didnt even go up..

[moto46]

Lol, how come no hockey in the opening, that was just sad. I loled at nash face hes like WTF.

[Jyeatbvg]

Photos from:
http://www.latimes.com/la-sp-2010-wi...1420.htmlstory
http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/201...r_vancouv.html

[Jyeatbvg]

[Jattfusion]

nice pics... it was funny how the kids were runnin beside the truck wayne was on.. tryin to be on camera and the guy on the bicycle almost hit the truck hah

[feardafronfz3]

why the fuk is nbc interviewing athletes where english is not their native or even 2nd language? wtf

[moto46]

Swiss got the 1st gold in ski jump.

[brown_builder]

was there last night for the ceremonies, it was INSANE. the buzz in the city is second to none. going to see benny benassi at one of the clubs tonight

[gta95]

Speed skating is pretty decent so far. Interesting sport.



Still doesn't beat curling though.

[NeverGymLess]

They need to get rid of womans hockey. 12-0 last time i checked the score for Canada. I'll take the dirty medal , but this is the ****tiest sport I ever watched played in my life ( when woman play )