(ATR) Bobsleigh training run crashes Wednesday have sparked fresh concerns over the safety of the track on which Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili died last Friday.
A member of the Australian bobsleigh team sustained minor injuries in a training run smash at the Whistler Sliding Center – one of at least seven accidents during yesterday’s training session.
Teams from the Netherlands, Switzerland and Germany were among those involved in accidents on the track where sleds can reach speeds of up to 140kph.
Australian sledder Duncan Harvey was training with his team mate Chris Spring for the Olympic two-man bobsleigh competition which begins Saturday.
A statement from the Australian team last night said Harvey was conscious and had not suffered any major injuries in the smash. He apparently suffered some cuts to his face, while sled pilot Spring had only a cut lip. According to an AP report, he was taken to the hospital inside the Olympic athletes' village in Whistler for a check-up.
The Australian sled was one of at least seven to crash during Wednesday's training session.
Luger Kumaritashvili died on the eve of the Games in a training run when he lost control of his sled on curve 16 and was hurled into a steel pole.
The Australian Olympic Committee and the Australian Bobsleigh and Skeleton Association have not so far issued any statement about the training run crash.
Shaun White Defends Snowboard Title
The last time the WinterOlympics were in Calgary, the United States won six medals. The U.S.equaled that total on Wednesday, capped by Shaun White's gold medal inthe men's halfpipe and Scottie Lago's bronze. "It's history, man. Shake and bake," White said.
Theother medals were won by Lindsey Vonn and Julia Mancuso, who went 1-2in ladies' downhill and Shani Davis and Chad Hedrick winning the goldand bronze in 1000m longtrack speedskating.
The flame-haired23-year-old White defended his Olympic title, scoring enough points onhis first run that he didn't even need the second. He considered itcelebration run instead, landing what has become his new signaturemove, the Double McTwist 1260, which he now calls "The Tomahawk."
"Iwanted a victory lap that would be remembered, so I think I achievedthat," he said. "Tonight I was basically pulling out the stops for mylast run and doing something that's basically never been done before."
Whitesoared higher than any other boarder before 4,400 spectators, helped bythe $500,000 halfpipe that was specially built for him at his trainingbase.
The U.S. has now won at least two medals in men's halfpipe inthe last three Olympic Games. Finland's Peetu Piiroinen won hiscountry's first medal in halfpipe.
Cypress Mountain had been challenged by warm temperatures and lack of snow.
"Igive my applause to the crew," White said. "On the first day, it wasone of the worst halfpipes I've ever ridden in my life. It went fromthere to one of the best."
While the snowboarders are tremendousathletes, spectators had to be in pretty good shape to get to thegrandstand. There are 192 steps up to the bottom row of the grandstand.
Canadian Hockey on a Roll
Canada’s women’s ice hockey team capped off their round robin action by easily beating 2006 Turin silver medalists Sweden 13-1 on Wednesday.Both teams play this weekend in the semi-finals. On Sunday, Canada will play the loser of the USA versus Finland game today while Sweden will face the winner. Most hockey experts favor Canada to face the U.S. in the finals. Canada has been impressive in its first three games outscoring opponents 41-2.
Speedskating Record for Davis
U.S. speedskater Shani Davis on Wednesday became the first man to win back-to-back 1,000m Olympic speedskating gold medals. The world record holder in the 1000m beat South Korean Mo Tae-Bum into second with American Chad Hedrick coming third.
No male speedskater had previously won consecutive Olympic titles at any distance since Johann Olaf Koss of Norway bagged gold at 1,500m in 1992 and 1994.
In the 500m women's short-track speed skating event, China's Wang Meng defended her Olympic title. Wang, who also picked up the 1000m silver and the 1500m bronze at Turin 2006, will seek more gold in the 1,000m, 1,500m and the 3,000m relay in Vancouver.
Milestone for Biathlon
Biathlon became an official mainstay in the Olympic program 50 years ago with the 20km race, an event scheduled for today’s program at the Winter Games.
Europe hasswept the four previous 2010 Olympic biathlon events. Most consider the trend will continue with Austrian Christoph Sumann and German Ole Einar Bjorndalen favorites in the men's 20 km individual race. Sumann took silver in the biathlon 12.5 km on Tuesday, finishing behind Swede Bjorn Ferry.
Innsbruck 2012 Youth Olympic Games Logo
Organizers of the Innsbruck 2012 Winter Youth Olympic Games launched their new emblem at a Youth Olympic Games Night at Austria House in Whistler on Wednesday.
The IOC’s brand identity for the Youth Olympic Games “YOG-DNA” has been integrated for the first time. The label is targeted at young people and is “the representation of their attitudes, freedoms and creativity”. The logo also contains the Olympic rings, signifying the values of excellence, friendship and respect.
Gian-Franco Kasper, IOC Coordination Commission chairman for Innsbruck 2012 and FIS president said: “The Innsbruck 2012 emblem is a reflection of Innsbruck’s history, region and nation and it symbolizes the journey to the first Winter Youth Olympic Games.
“It is a youthful emblem and a striking identity to be used by the Innsbruck Youth Olympic Games Organizing Committee to reach out to young people around the world.”
Also attending the launch were: IOC vice president and chairman of Singapore 2010 YOG Ng Ser Miang; Pernilla Wiberg, Innsbruck 2012 co-com member; Austrian Olympic Committee president Dr Karl Stoss; and Tyrol Tourism board director Josef Margreiter.
Security Threat to U.S VP
U.S. vice president Joe Biden reportedly faced a threat from a mentally unstable man during the Vancouver Opening Ceremony, it has emerged. RCMP assistant commissioner Bud Mercer, a senior police official at the 2010 Winter Olympics, told CTV News that the man used a faked pass and got within a few meters of Biden before being arrested.
Medal Events Feb. 18
A total of six gold medals will be decided today: Women's Biathlon 15km Individual; Men's Biathlon 20km Individual; Ladies' Super Combined Slalom; Ladies Speed Skating 1,000m; Men's Figure Skating Free Skate; Ladies' Halfpipe.
Medal Table
The USA top the table with 14 medals, including five golds, followed by Germany (10) and France (7).
Weather
Vancouver – Sunny, high 9c, low 3c
Whistler— Sunny, high 6c, low -6c
Cypress Mountain – Sunny, high 5c, low -1c
With reporting from Mark Bisson, Karen Rosen and Sam Steinberg
Your best source of news about the Olympics is www.aroundtherings.com,for subscribers only.
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