THE TRACK at the Whistler Sliding Centre has again become the focus of safety concerns. Five days after the death of the Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili, there were a series of crashes involving at least seven teams during bobsleigh training yesterday.
In the worst incident, Duncan Harvey of Australia’s two-man team had to be taken to hospital after hurtling on to the track. He was, thankfully, conscious after the fall and is now recovering well. His team-mate, Chris Spring, the bob’s driver, suffered a cut lip.
The Dutch two-man team also crashed. Brothers Edwin and Arnold van Calker did, though, escape unharmed after their bobsleigh ended up on its side on one of the lower bends.
In response to Kumaritashvili’s crash Olympic officials have raised the protective wall near curve 16 as well as adjusting the ice profile of the luge track. The starting point of the men’s singles was also moved to the lower starting station, which is used by the women and the men’s doubles.
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