The World Competes

The 2014 Sochi Olympic organizers were initially planning on building the world’s fastest, most difficult track for the next Olympics, but after the death of Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili, they are changing their plans. They still intend on building a course that is “technically very demanding”, but they are being careful to build a course that is safe.

The Olympic organizers plan on building the course as soon as possible. In fact, they hope to open the track and hold competitions on it by 2011.

In my view, building a safe track is a good idea. No matter what kind of track you have, the top Olympians will still be able to go down the track faster than your average bear. While the Whistler track is not extremely dangerous for the medal contenders, it is dangerous for people from the smaller countries (like Georgia) and from countries that don’t have well-developed luge programs. We can’t expect Felix Loch performance (he won the gold) from a Jamaican luger. The track needs to be safe for the Jamaican, as well as those that have a chance at the medal.