Current Events > 6 different women crashed in the women's luge singles at 2022 Winter Olympics

(+) Yeah! (+)

https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/sports/luge-the-curse-curve-13-haunts-womens-singles-crash-packed-first-two-runs-2022-02-07/

Every Olympics has its share of heroes, but for many of the women competing in the first half of the singles luge event on Monday evening there was also a clear villain - curve 13. Exit the small hill into the twisting curve at the finale of the 1,615-metre track a fraction off trajectory, or without quite enough momentum, and even the world's finest might be lucky to escape with only a poor time for injury. Germany's Julia Taubitz was in the lead after a scintillating run that set a new track record. But then she lost control on curve 13, flipping and skidding along near the finish line. Though she spent some time with the medical team and was unable to talk to reporters after the race, she'll be back again to compete on Tuesday, her coach said. Taubitz is in 14th place at the halfway mark. He and several experts around the track surmised that the women were hitting the curve just a few kilometres slower than the men yesterday, with that lack of momentum being a real killer.

But Taubitz's plight highlighted the risks of a sport where athletes hurtle feet-first and face-up down an icy track at speeds exceeding 130km an hour. The United States' Emily Sweeney, who broke her neck in the competition four years ago, had a strong first run, but then she too was hit by the curse of curve 13. "That was hard," she said, fighting back tears. "It's a tough spot you have to come out right, if you're not correct coming out then the track gives away and you're weightless." "If you're crooked a little bit in your sled or you're not in the right spot, it'll get you." She goes into Tuesday's deciding runs in 28th place - scant reward for her work to recover. So too struggled Sweeney's teammate Summer Britcher, who was already nursing a broken middle finger. She's in 26th. Add to the list Austria's Madeleine Egle, a bronze medallist in Pyeongchang and one of the favourites, who flipped at curve 13 as well and lies in seventh place. "You just have to keep calm and you need to have the right direction when you get out of the curve, because you can't steer anything in the other direction, or you'll skid or flip over," she said. Tatyana Ivanova, who endured bone and ligament damage in a crash on the same track in November, also crashed through curve 13, though the Russian managed to place third. Amid all the chaos, the favourite and reigning gold medallist Natalie Geisenberger of Germany finished the first two rounds in pole position, followed by compatriot Anna Berreiter. "I'm not thinking about this position because you saw today there's so many crashes, so many bad situations for drivers crashing on exit 13, so I'm happy that I had two good runs," said Geisenberger. "It's a hard situation and I think maybe I won't sleep so well today."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Avrr7wnsN7s

Tldr injury report?

sLaCkEr408___RJ posted...

Tldr injury report?

A bunch of women crashed at the same turn. Kinda reminds me of this a while back.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frBp07qd_ds

Didn't someone get dead after eating a column on a luge track a few olympics ago?

Lebronwon posted...

A bunch of women crashed at the same turn. Kinda reminds me of this a while back.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frBp07qd_ds

I read the first sentence at least

If one athlete fucked up you blame them. Up to 3 maybe. 6 mess up and you blame the track and everyone responsible for the track.

I never did Winter Olympic sports but I did California-level track and field and that was kind of the rule. 4 or more fuck up due to field conditions and it's on the sponsor/host.

I almost feel bad for the women at this Olympics. Barring a few exceptions like figure skating it's clear that at an athletic and skill level the men are just on another planet.

I've never seen an Olympics or any other event where so many women are falling or stuffing up so consistently.

Read that as lubes singles >_>

ColdOne666 posted...

I almost feel bad for the women at this Olympics. Barring a few exceptions like figure skating it's clear that at an athletic and skill level the men are just on another planet.

I've never seen an Olympics or any other event where so many women are falling or stuffing up so consistently.

They're not falling to lack of skill but rather the temperature is so cold that the sleigh can't dig into the ice and slides out of control.

Men probably aren't crashing as much simply because they weigh more.

Questionmarktarius posted...

Didn't someone get dead after eating a column on a luge track a few olympics ago?

Yes. His heart basically exploded on contact with the pillar. There were a lot of safety complaints and several athletes pulled out before the competition started because of exactly that scenario.

Glad no one died. That sport looks dangerous.

Questionmarktarius posted...

Didn't someone get dead after eating a column on a luge track a few olympics ago?

Not during, but training. He lost control on a turn and flew out of the track, and hit a pole at almost 90 miles an hour

ChopinList posted...

That sport looks dangerous.

i don't trust china's safety record with that track.

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https://youtu.be/ZrPaMe6ZrjQ?t=1003

this shit looks scary af

kingdrake2 posted...

i don't trust china's safety record with that track.

It is kinda weird how none of the Chinese crashed. Maybe they got inside info.

Of course it happens on Curve #13