USA Lugers Give Verdict on PyeongChang Track

(ATR) United States luger Matt Mortensen tells Around the Rings that athletes had a "great travel experience" ahead of the luge test events this week in South Korea.

"The buses get crowded, but as far as logistics and getting us from one place to another everything has been very much on time," Mortensen tells ATR during a conference call ahead of the International Luge Federation World Cup at the Alpensia Sliding Centre. "They will not leave until the clock says :15 or :30."

Team USA’s lugers were joined by competitors around the world at the first FIL International Training Week from Feb. 8-14 that allowed athletes to test the safety of the course prior to the Games. USA lugers told reporters that the track was safe despite soft ice and a challenging sequence of turns.

"The exit at curve nine is shaped differently, well actually the exit of eight and the exit of nine," said Chris Mazdzer. "Eight kind of crosses you onto nine which is not good at all, so it is twofold; it is temperature ice conditions and the amount of ice in the curves."

Mazdzer says he doesn’t expect the sequence of turns to change prior to the Winter Games.

"There’s been a lot of talk between all of the coaches with the FIL and with the track to change that and right now they don’t want to change it," said Mazdzer. "I don’t know if they want to keep it like this for the Games because it does add an element of excitement and uncertainty for every athlete. The good thing about missing out of nine is it is pretty safe – you’re just going to hit walls.

"It’s definitely super challenging and I don’t think they’ll change it, at least in my opinion."

Erin Hamlin says that every country was rigorously videotaping the turn to get a handle of it before the FIL Luge World Cup begins on Feb. 17. Prior to the competition, athletes will have tested the track 20-25 times.

The World Cup event will be the first international luge competition to take place in South Korea and concludes on Feb. 19.

Lugers will get another shot at the track at the second international training week taking place Nov. 1-10, 2017. The PyeongChang Winter Games run from Feb. 9-25, 2018.

Written by Kevin Nutley

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