[prasantrin]

not a good start to the Olympics.

I hope they do something about the track before the games start, though I'd be OK with cancelling luge altogether. . .forever.

[yvonne johnson]

The pic in the NYT is discombobulating. Was he heading down to the left when he lost control and catapulted over the wall on the right, and then hit a column in the distance or the immediate right? I guess if the unprotected body is traveling at 88 mph.....

[prasantrin]

That picture is confusing. I wonder if it was taken on an earlier practice run, or if it was from the fatal crash.

From the course map, it looks like he was making a right turn.
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2010/02...sh-graphic.html

[g.johnson]

"This is a time for sorrow," Rogge said. "This is not the time to look for reasons."

Stupid fucker.

[yvonne johnson]

That picture is confusing. I wonder if it was taken on an earlier practice run, or if it was from the fatal crash.

From the course map, it looks like he was making a right turn.
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2010/02...sh-graphic.html

Looks as if it's of the crash

http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2010/02/1...DENT_index.html

Another thing: Just look at that corner of wood (?) on the left hand side. If one bumped into that surely it would act as a stake.

[ghostrider]

Actual video of the crash:

http://www.latimes.com/ktxl-news-georgianl...0,4551889.story

I wasn't looking for this, it simply showed up at the top of Google News. I feel uneasy posting this, but it exemplifies our world right now, so there it is.

[foodie52]

I am not going to watch that video, and I hope it won't be aired tonight during the opening ceremonies.

NPR reported that it is the fastest track ever. One luger described herself as a lemming who just hurls herself down the track like all the others. It looks like a dangerous sport. Now they are saying that, if the side wall had been higher, he wouldn't have cleared it.

Then he would have slammed into the wall at 90 miles an hour, right?

[cstuart]

That picture is confusing. I wonder if it was taken on an earlier practice run, or if it was from the fatal crash.

From the course map, it looks like he was making a right turn.
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2010/02...sh-graphic.html

Looks as if it's of the crash

http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2010/02/1...DENT_index.html

Another thing: Just look at that corner of wood (?) on the left hand side. If one bumped into that surely it would act as a stake.

It is of the crash and he was coming at the camera (the wood is fine). If you watch the video, it's crazy to think that no one saw danger in having those bare concrete pillars right next to the track. He easily goes over the side and slams into one.

Stupid design and horrible outcome.

[nuxvomica]

If you watch the video, it's crazy to think that no one saw danger in having those bare concrete pillars right next to the track. He easily goes over the side and slams into one.

Stupid design and horrible outcome.

what he said.

really affected me today. 21. the Olympics. last turn.

sigh

[tanabutler]

Two months younger than my daughter. I'm sickened, and also heartsick.

[prasantrin]

Vancouver 2010 chief executive John Furlong - like Rogge wearing a black tie - also added his tribute to Kumaritashvili while the Canadian and Olympic flags were lowered to half mast and a minute's silence was observed.

"You compete in the memory of your fallen comrade Nodar," he told over 3,000 athletes from 82 countries.

"You carry his olympic dream on your shoulders and compete with his spirit in your hearts."

I was watching, but I must have missed it. I probably would have cried had I heard it.

[Wilfrid]

I just want to have a standing objection to the wisdom of doing any of this shit. Things I plan to teach my grandchildren, if I live that long, is don't hurl yourself down mountains or crawl into narrow caves with no visible exit or hang out in jungles/deserts. This should all be obvious, but apparently it isn't.

I recommend boxing. At least you are endangered only by the other fighter, not intransigent stuff like gravity, glaciers, nature, and so on.