Nodar Kumaritashvili dies in luge

[redsoxrules]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/02/12/nodar-kumaritashvili-cras_n_460474.html

[Spudboy]

The video is no longer available but from what I saw of the pics it's just gruesome. Nothing can be said except that the guy died doing what he was passionate about.

 

I've crashed several times at above 60 mph and am very fortunate to still be here.

 

90 mph is a completely different ballgame. I hope Geogia does not pull out.

 

R.I.P.

[Dojji]

Thoughts and prayers to the family of Nodar Kumarst.... Kumaritsa... Kuma...

 

Screw it.

 

Thoughts and prayers to the family of Nodar Whatsisname.

 

More seriously, accidents like this are always sad when they happen, I just hope some kid wasn't left without support because of this.

[Spudboy]

Thoughts and prayers to the family of Nodar Kumarst.... Kumaritsa... Kuma...

 

Screw it.

 

Thoughts and prayers to the family of Nodar Whatsisname.

 

More seriously, accidents like this are always sad when they happen, I just hope some kid wasn't left without support because of this.

 

Yeah, good point.

[Dojji]

Any word on family? The Huffington Post blog entry was long on sensational gory photos and very short on anything about the character of the dead guy.

[italstallianion]

This reminds me of the Jeremy Lusk case (guy who died during bike jump, x games or something). It's a sad story but at least he went out doing what he loved. I know that doesn't sound like much of a consolation prize but it could be worse.

 

RIP dude.

[Dojji]

OK apparently the guy's 21 and from Soviet Georgia. Nothing specific on family, In America, the chances that as 21 year old would have started a family are negligible -- in the former Soviet Union, probably a bit higher.

[Spudboy]

OK apparently the guy's 21 and from Soviet Georgia. Nothing specific on family' date=' In America, the chances that as 21 year old would have started a family are negligible -- in the former Soviet Union, probably a bit higher.[/quote']

 

No. Not really. Most men in the "Former Soviet Union" are, in fact, reluctant to start a family. Scarcity of jobs and low average income are two very strong deterrents. Add to that, a sizable glut of available women of desirable age, and only a few young men get married.

 

Making assumptions on a topic that one knows little about is not always wise.

[msubulldogs21]

I saw the video. It was really bad.

[CoachC.]

Watching the video it's hard to believe that doesn't happen more often. I can't believe there isn't some sort of enclosure, or at least some thing to prevent them from completely flying off the course.

[italstallianion]

Judging by the pictures I'm kind of glad that I didn't see the video. I'm surprised there isn't padding or some kind of protective barrier by those steel poles. Sure, hitting a foam pad in front of a steel pole at 90 mph won't help much, but you get the point. Why do changes like these only get done when people die?

[Spudboy]

Watching the video it's hard to believe that doesn't happen more often. I can't believe there isn't some sort of enclosure' date=' or at least some thing to prevent them from completely flying off the course.[/quote']

 

It looks like someone or some body decided to not put barriers at strategic points on the course. Given that the course is now being described as the fastest course to date, that is really, really stupid.

 

As someone who has raced motorcycles and has followed the sport since 1974, I can say that many of the rider's (athlete's) concerns are not headed. Promoters, sanctioning bodies and such, are often shortsighted. Let's just go ahead.

 

Now someone is dead. His fault, probably at least in part. But taking preventive measures just cost some money. Not lives.

[Spudboy]

I've just watched a report by NBC on the subject. It's accepted that only the 1st 12 luggers in the world can most likely navigate the fastest track in the world. It's 13 on down that are risk. WTF!

 

Someone has the bright idea of putting padding on the columns. Sure. This is sort of like pulling out to avoid pregnancy. That will work!

 

The course has been open for two years and many experienced people have crashed, HARD. No one is experienced with these speeds and G Forces. Duh!

 

Bob Sleds and Skeleton participants have yet to "hit' the course. Time to erect containment barriers.

Even it it's just plywood.

 

Dumb f***s.

[YAZMAN]

Watching the video it's hard to believe that doesn't happen more often. I can't believe there isn't some sort of enclosure' date=' or at least some thing to prevent them from completely flying off the course.[/quote']

 

I agree. I think you'll see them start to put up plexiglass on the walls around the turns.

[Spudboy]

I agree. I think you'll see them start to put up plexiglass on the walls around the turns.

 

Hmmmn.

 

I have no desire to sound like a know it all here but. The turns do not seem to be the problem on this course. Please notice that the turns are "over banked", making any exit from the course unlikely. The problem is the speed carried into the turns. They are higher than what most of the competitors are accustomed too. The result is "over cooking the turn".

 

This results in some cases in exiting the turn "out of shape".

 

The area coming out of these turns are where problems will occur. Watching the video will confirm this. As the competitor exits the turn is out of control, a physical barrier keeping the athlete within the course should be present.

 

Ice will allow the athlete to slide to relative safety. Leaving the course exposing the athlete to comparatively less harm. Broken bones and concussion.

 

Someone goofed here. And it has cost a life.

 

If I were in charge, I'd retrofit the course with barriers that would minimize the eventuality of a competitor leaving the course.

[schillingouttheks]

A pad won't help at 90 mph. The whiplash and damage your internal organs experience when hitting a solid object at that speed, regardless of padding, are too much. They need to add a barrier to keep people from hitting things, not adding padding to the things they hit.

[Spudboy]

A pad won't help at 90 mph. The whiplash and damage your internal organs experience when hitting a solid object at that speed' date=' regardless of padding, are too much. They need to add a barrier to keep people from hitting things, not adding padding to the things they hit.[/quote']

 

Well yeah. Kind of what I just said. Keeping a body on the course is the best case scenario.

 

Bashing into steel and concrete columns is not good.

[BigPapiEnFuego]

Wow i just watched the video. That was intense. Sucks this happened. I never saw the point in this sport though.

[Spudboy]

Wow i just watched the video. That was intense. Sucks this happened. I never saw the point in this sport though.

 

While I've never experienced luge, I was hooked on physical speed earlier in my life.

 

I can understand the "need" to luge. Big time rush and personal challenge.

 

21 is too young to buy it though. But that is a chance he was willing to take.

 

Let's hope no one else looses their life during the Olympics.

[BigPapiEnFuego]

Yeah watching the video I can see how they'd get a rush. It looks crazy. Too much for me though, I'll stick to doing 90 on the pike.

 

And wow 21... that's how old I am. I can't imagine dying this young, that f***ing sucksssss

[YAZMAN]

Well yeah. Kind of what I just said. Keeping a body on the course is the best case scenario.

 

Bashing into steel and concrete columns is not good.

 

That's what I meant with the plexiglass application. They get squirrelly coming off the turns, the banking goes away and the walls get lower. At the speeds there traveling, they can get airborne when they wipe out almost like a race car at Daytona. If they make the walls in the straightaways higher, you'll lose much of the ability to view the run at the event. If they put up plexiglass, viewing would be maintained and the racers would have the wall heights they need to keep them on the run during a wipeout. They wouldn't be impacting the safety barrier as much as skimming off it on the way down.

[redsoxrules]

their resuming practice BUT

 

they changed the start point to the same as the women's side

much better , havent seen a crash yet and and a difference about 10 km/h difference in speed