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GEORGIAN luge hopeful Nodar Kumaritashvili has been killed in a crash after flying off the Olympic track in Whistler, Canada during a training run, German International Olympic Committee official Thomas Bach confirmed. "It is a tragedy for his family and the team," said Bach, the IOC vice president. "It casts a shadow over the opening ceremony." Hundreds of millions of television viewers are expected to watch the opening ceremony starting at 6pm (1pm AEDT), capping off years of planning with some 2500 athletes from 82 nations competing in the February 12-28 games. The 21-year-old Kumaritashvili suffered the crash during his second training run at one of the fastest points near the bottom of the track at the Whistler Sliding Centre on the final 270-degree turn. He crashed into both sides of the wall before being hurled over the top of the banking. Witnesses said Kumaritashvili then hit a metal pole on the side after traveling at 148km/h on a track widely-regarded as the fastest in the sport He was knocked unconscious and immediately placed on a stretcher with blood pouring from his face and airlifted to hospital. The accident was the second this week for Kumaritashvili, the Toronto Sun reported. The medal hopeful walked away from the first incident shaken but not seriously injured, according to the paper. The track was closed and training runs were canceled after news of Kumaritashvili’s death, according to CanWest News Service. Team coaches were meeting with FIL, the international luge federation. One of the favorites in the competition, 2002 and 2006 gold medalist Armin Zoeggler of Italy, also crashed. On Wednesday there were several crashes during women's luge training runs. The $105-million sliding centre, on Blackcomb Mountain’s southeast side, has 16 turns and drops steeply for 152 meters (500 feet) — the world’s longest drop. Romania's Violeta Stramaturaru crashed and was knocked unconscious for a few minutes and was taken to the hospital. Earlier in the week, other competitors admitted the course was one of the most challenging. US luger Tony Benshoof, who was fourth at the 2006 Olympics in Turin, said lugers were close to reaching a speed ceiling. "We're really close. The tracks are getting faster and faster. It's getting pretty crazy. There's that word (dangerous), it's like that word 'fear'," said Benshoof. "It's getting down to that. I mean, a 100mph is pretty quick. I don't know how much faster we can go." With AFP

SOURCE

Nodar Kumaritashvili Luge Crash at 2010 Winter Games 2-12-2010 from Tom Walker on Vimeo.

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