Top female lugers are upset with the decision to begin racing from the junior start on the Olympic track, a switch made to limit speeds after the death of a men’s Georgian luger during training.
“It’s not fun,” German gold medal hopeful Natalie Geisenberger said.
Nodar Kumaritashvili died Friday when he came around the final curve at nearly 90 mph, lost control and was thrown from his sled.
Geisenberger made little effort to hide her frustration, adding that the course now essentially seems like one built for children.
“It’s for all the same,” Geisenberger said. “But I’m not happy. It’s not for ladies. It’s a kinder (kids) start. They are afraid now, but we can’t do something for him (Kumaritashvili). He’s dead.”
“It couldn’t just be ignored,” said world champion Erin Hamlin of Remsen, N.Y. “I don’t know what went on behind closed doors, but there weren’t very many options. You can’t change how the track was built in 24 hours.”
