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View Full Version : Luger Killed in Olympics Practice


Matt Molnar
2010-02-12, 04:28 PM
An Olympic luger representing the former Soviet state of Georgia was killed during a practice run on the Winter Olympics course near Vancouver this afternoon. Near the end of the run he flew off his sled and slammed into a steel beam, I'm guessing at around 70-80mph.

[edit: youtube took the video down]

Training has been suspended, would not be surprised if the luge events were to be canceled completely. Sounds like folks have been having a lot of problems with this track.
Derf
2010-02-12, 05:55 PM
it is said to be a 100mph+ track.... Lots of people were saying it is the fastest most dangerous track. Video was very bad, looked like he did not decelerate until impact with the pillar. Very sad
wunaladreamin
2010-02-12, 08:00 PM
Saw the video as well. Very violent impact. Hopefully, his neck snapped upon impact and he was spared from any suffering. Very sad indeed.
PhilDernerJr
2010-02-12, 08:27 PM
Definite instant-death. Very sad.
hiss srq
2010-02-12, 08:38 PM
I just saw a clip. WOW! There is no way it wasnt instantanious. RIP
MarkLawrence
2010-02-12, 09:18 PM
Very sad...on opening day.
hiss srq
2010-02-12, 09:32 PM
In the link below is a clip of the actual accident and photo's post accident. I wan you it is VERY graphic. RIP


www.huffingtonpost.com/.../nodar-kumari ... 60474.html (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/.../nodar-kumaritashvili-cras_n_460474.html) :cry: :(
Big Tim #70
2010-02-12, 10:49 PM
In the link below is a clip of the actual accident and photo's post accident. I wan you it is VERY graphic. RIP


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/.../nodar ... 60474.html (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/.../nodar-kumaritashvili-cras_n_460474.html) :cry: :(


Based on those stills, how was there any doubt that this guy wasn't killed? Profuse bleeding from the nose/mouth & eyes wide open with fixed puplils. Come on...

Very sad.
Gerard
2010-02-13, 11:08 AM
Well it looks like they have a good EMS system in place for the events including 4 medevac helicopters.

http://www.firehouse.com/topics/top-hea ... ames-begin (http://www.firehouse.com/topics/top-headlines/olympic-ems-leader-says-let-games-begin)
Matt Molnar
2010-02-13, 04:00 PM
Olympic officials say the track is fine, blame the dead luger for the accident: http://vancouver2010.blogs.nytimes.com/ ... sed-crash/ (http://vancouver2010.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/02/13/officials-say-athlete-not-track-caused-crash/)

Even though they think the track is great, they're raising the wall in the turn where the crash occurred, and men will start further down the track to reduce their speed.
hiss srq
2010-02-13, 04:42 PM
That is obsurd of the authorities. Hmmm....... I wonder if some of the standing officials who make decisions around there once worked for the FAA or somthing. :evil:
Matt Molnar
2010-02-13, 05:08 PM
Also, the guy who designed the track is an architect who designs office buildings, and admits to having little knowledge of luge.
emshighway
2010-02-13, 05:47 PM
NYTimes breaks down Luge death

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2010 ... c_ev=click (http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2010/02/12/sports/olympics/LUGEDEATH.html?WT.mc_id=fb_nyt1348&WT.mc_ev=click)
NIKV69
2010-02-13, 06:27 PM
No matter how you look at it Luge and Bobsledding are very dangerous, look at he history of the winter olympiad there has been a few deaths already. At that speed with no protection it's like horse racing you are going to average a death once a year or once every 4 years. I doubt the track had anything to do with it. Would he have lived if he was going 5 or 10 mphs slower?
Matt Molnar
2010-02-13, 06:51 PM
Would he have lived if he was going 5 or 10 mphs slower?
He might have lived if there were some kind of barrier to prevent hitting the steel beams.
NIKV69
2010-02-13, 07:11 PM
He might have lived if there were some kind of barrier to prevent hitting the steel beams.



You know this how?

At that speed coming into contact with an object soft or hard and decelerating your going to die
hiss srq
2010-02-13, 07:11 PM
My guess after re watching the video (Not that I have the proper education....yet) is that his neck either snapped the instant he hit that beam or he probably went into cardiac arrest from the impact of his chest.
T-Bird76
2010-02-13, 07:13 PM
Would he have lived if he was going 5 or 10 mphs slower?
He might have lived if there were some kind of barrier to prevent hitting the steel beams.

The design of this track really was stupid.... Why you put steel I-beams right next to a track where someone can fly off and collide at 100mph is beyond me. This is very sad and not a good way to kick off the games.
Matt Molnar
2010-02-13, 07:15 PM
He might have lived if there were some kind of barrier to prevent hitting the steel beams.



You know this how?

At that speed coming into contact with an object soft or hard and decelerating your going to die
He might have been able to bounce and skid along rather than coming to a sudden stop. Lugers do wreck at high speed, but they don't always die.
emshighway
2010-02-13, 08:31 PM
He might have lived if there were some kind of barrier to prevent hitting the steel beams.



You know this how?

At that speed coming into contact with an object soft or hard and decelerating your going to die
He might have been able to bounce and skid along rather than coming to a sudden stop. Lugers do wreck at high speed, but they don't always die.

I've seen people die from 35 mph collisions and survive 100 mph ones. There are so many variables. From my view of the video he struck the I beam back-wards. His cerebellum was immediately traumatized probably putting him into cardiac arrest.