Whistler Sliding Centre

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The Whistler Sliding Centre is a bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton track located in Whistler, British Columbia, located 125 km north of Vancouver. Located in the Blackcomb Mountains, this venue will host the bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton competitions for the 2010 Winter Olympics.

Contents

[edit] History

[edit] Awarding and construction

In 2003, Vancouver was chosen for the 2010 Winter Olympics over Pyongchang, South Korea and Salzburg, Austria.[1] On November 15, 2004, it was announced that Stantec Architecture Limited, who designed the 2002 Winter Olympic bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton track, would provide detail design and site master plan of the track.[2] Site construction of the facility began on June 1, 2005 following environmental approval from the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act.[3][4] Construction site safety and security was put in place at that time.[4] During its construction peak in the summer of 2006, there were over 500 workers involved both in the Silding Centre and at the Whistler Nordic Venue (now Whistler Olympic Park).[5] A core group of 60 workers was involved with track construction from June 2005 to December 2007.[6] Basic track construction was completed in November 2007 though fit-out and testing continued into 2008.[7]

[edit] First testing and homologation

The first run took place on December 19, 2007 with Canadian bobsledder Pierre Lueders and his brakeman Justin Kripps starting at the Junior Start house, located 520 meters down the 1450 meter track.[8] A total of six runs were made under the auspices of the International Bobsleigh and Tobogganing Federation (FIBT).[8] First tests of the track for luge occurred in the last weeks of February 2008 with the Canadian Luge Association opening a branch at the track.[9] Among the luge participants were Tatjana Hüfner, David Möller (both Germany), Tony Benshoof, Erin Hamlin, Christian Niccum, Dan Joye (all from United States), Armin Zöggeler (Italy), Markus Schiegl, Tobias Schiegl (both Austria), Jeff Christie, Ian Cockerline, Samuel Edney, Regan Lauscher, Meaghan Simister, Chris Moffat, and Mike Moffat (all Canada).[10] Bobsleigh participants included André Lange, Sandra Kiriasis (both Germany), Alexandre Zoubkov (Russia), Lueders, Lyndon Rush, Helen Upperton, Lisa Szabon (all from Canada), and Shauna Rohbock (United States) while skeleton participants included Kristan Bromley (Great Britain), Katie Uhlaender, Zach Lund (both United States), Kerstin Juergens (Germany), John Montgomery, Jeff Pain, Michelle Kelly, and Lindsay Alcock (all from Canada).[11] Over 200 runs were taken from six different starting positions on the track.[12] Praise was given both by the FIBT and the International Luge Federation (FIL) over the successful homologation of the track.[12] VANOC, the Olympic Organizing Committee for the 2010 Winter Olympics, will review the recommendations made from both the FIBT and the FIL in order to fine tune the track.[12] Canadian teams continued testing and training at the track until March 20, 2008.[12] Pierre Lueders commented that the track "... [is] definitely the fastest ... in the world and that's what makes it so difficult" while Michelle Kelly concured with "...any loss of concentration ...can get you... in trouble because it is technical as well."[13]

[edit] Public opening and post-Olympic usage

Public self-guided walking tours will run from July 3 to August 31, 2008.[14][13] Costs to the public will be C$ 5 with children under 12 being admitted free.[14] The track will officially open in the fall of 2008.[15] World cup competition for bobsleigh and skeleton will occur during February 2-8, 2009 while luge will occur during February 16-22, 2009.[16] Post-Olympic usage will place the track as part of the Whistler Legacy Society as part of a long-term resort development plan per a trust established the federal and provinicial governments.[17] The track is a finalist for the 2012 FIL World Luge Championships along with Altenberg, Germany with the winner being announced during the 2008 FIL Congress in Calgary, Alberta in June.[18]

[edit] Track technical details

Costing C$ 55 million, [19] the track is made of 350 metric tons of reinforced concrete[4][13] that was applied using pressurized spraying[6] to reach a maximum thickness of six inches.[15] It will seat 11,650 during the 2010 games.[4] 350 track footings are used to set the track on its proper foundation.[5] 40% of those footings were complete by July 2006.[5] There are over 100 km (62.1 miles) of ammonia refrigeration piping used to keep the track frozen.[5][13] The track also includes a control tower and administration buildings.[5] Sloping and curves were contoured to within 1 to 3 mm (0.04 to 0.12 inches) of the planned design course.[6] Ice thickness is 2 to 5 cm maintained by hand.[13] Additionally, the track had 36 on-track video cameras and 42 "timing eyes".[13]

[edit] Track lengths and turns

Competition length is 1450 meters long[4] with 16 turns[5] and a vertical drop of 152 meters.[15][13] Track g-forces are expected to reach up to 5.02 for men's singles luge.[13] Maximum speed was reached at 147.9 km/h (91.9 mph) in four-man bobsleigh during the homologation process.[13]

[edit] Schedule

  • World Cup events for bobsleigh and skeleton: February 2-8, 2009, luge: February 16-22, 2009. [16]
  • 2010 Winter Olympic luge will take place February 13-17, 2010.[20]
  • 2010 Winter Olympic skeleton will take place February 18-19, 2010.[21]
  • 2010 Winter Olympic bobsleigh will take place February 20-23 and 26-27, 2010.[22]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Gamesbids.com archives of past awards of Olympic Games. - accessed January 30, 2008.
  2. ^ November 15, 2004 vancouver2010.com report of site selection and construction - accessed February 11, 2008.
  3. ^ Vancouver2010.com envrionmental background information - accessed February 11, 2008
  4. ^ a b c d e June 8, 2005 vancouver2010.com report on the start of construction at the Whistler Sliding Centre. - accessed February 11, 2008.
  5. ^ a b c d e f July 25, 2006 vancouver2010.com article on construction progress of the Whistler venues. - accessed February 11, 2008
  6. ^ a b c December 14, 2007 vancouver2010.com article on the construction workers involved with the Whistler Sliding Centre and the Whistler Olympic Park - accessed February 11, 2008.
  7. ^ December 14, 2007 vancouver2010.com article on the completion of all Whistler, BC venues, including the Sliding Centre - accessed February 11, 2008.
  8. ^ a b December 21, 2007 vancouver2010.com article on Lueders' run December 19, 2007 run down the track - accessed February 11, 2008
  9. ^ February 13, 2008 FIL-Luge.org article on Team Canada's withdrawal from the World Cup season finale at Sigulda, Latvia to test out the Whistler Sliding Centre in late February 2008. - accessed February 13, 2008.
  10. ^ FIL-Luge.org February 27, 2008 article on the homologation of the Whistler Sliding Centre for luge. - accessed March 4, 2008.
  11. ^ http://www.fibt.com/index.php?id=88&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=365&tx_ttnews[backPid]=2&cHash=85d1b4863d
  12. ^ a b c d March 10, 2008 vancouver2010.com article on the homologation process of Whistler Sliding Centre being being complete. - accessed March 11, 2008.
  13. ^ a b c d e f g h i Vancouver2010.com June 5, 2008 article on the opening of both the Whistler Sliding Centre and the Whistler Olympic Park. - accessed June 6, 2008.
  14. ^ a b May 21, 2008 vancouver2010.com article on VANOC Board of Directors updating business plans for the games, including the Whistler Sliding Centre's public opening. - accessed May 22, 2008
  15. ^ a b c Whistler, BC resort information on the Sliding Centre. - accessed February 11, 2008.
  16. ^ a b Testing schedule of all 2010 Winter Olympics venues - accessed February 11, 2008.
  17. ^ Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton March 10, 2008 article on homologation being complete at the Whistler Sliding Centre. - accessed April 8, 2008.
  18. ^ FIL-Luge.org announcement of FIL World Luge Championships 2012 finalists. - accessed May 1, 2008.
  19. ^ FIL-Luge.org February 1, 2006 article about the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin mentioning the Whistler Sliding Centre. - accessed February 11, 2008.
  20. ^ 2010 Winter Olympics luge schedule - accessed February 11, 2008.
  21. ^ 2010 Winter Olympics skeleton schedule - accessed February 11, 2008.
  22. ^ 2010 Winter Olympics bobsleigh schedule - accessed February 11, 2008.

[edit] External links

v • d • e
List of bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton tracks
Current artificial tracks
Former artificial tracks
Natural luge tracks