Russian National Sliding Centre

The Russian National Sliding Centre is a bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton track that will be located in Krasnaya Polyana, Russia, located 60 km (37 mi) northeast of Sochi. Located in the Western Caucasus, this venue will host the bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton events for the 2014 Winter Olympics.

History

In 2006, it was announced that Russia will construct two new bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton tracks. [http://www.fil-luge.org/news/news-detail/article/a-lot-is-being-done-at-the-worlds-artificially-iced-tracks.html?tx_ttnews%5BpS%5D=1162335600&tx_ttnews%5BpL%5D=2591999&tx_ttnews%5Barc%5D=1&tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=157&cHash=9f9b736e8c FIL-Luge.org November 23, 2006 article on several track modifications, construction, and future plans, including Krasnaya Polyana.] - accessed February 20, 2008] The first track was located near Moscow while the second one would be located in Krasnaya Polyana. Sochi was chosen to host the 2014 Winter Olympics over Pyongchang, South Korea and Salzburg, Austria on July 4, 2007. [ [http://www.gamesbids.com/english/archives/past.shtml Gamesbids.com archives of past awards of Olympic Games.] - accessed January 30, 2008]

Proposed track

In their Olympic bid package, Sochi's track would cost RUB 135.7 million. [http://sochi2014.com/sochidwnld/bid_book/Book%202/Theme%208/Theme%208%20sprds.pdf Sochi 2014 bid package on sports venues.] pp 14-7, 20-1, 24-5, 76-9. en icon & fr icon - accessed February 25, 2008.] Located 1215 m above sea level, the track will have permanent seating of 500, a temporary seating of 500, and a standing room crowd of 10,000 during the 2014 games. Track start heights will be 1365 meters for bobsleigh, skeleton, and men's singles luge while it will be 1325 meters for luge - women's singles and men's doubles. The finish height for the track will be 1215 meters. It will have 19 curves for bobsleigh and skeleton, 20 turns for men's singles luge, and 17 turns for luge - women's singles/ men's doubles. Post-Olympic usage will involve international bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton competitions and training for Russian athletes involved in those sports.

Controversies

Construction was scheduled to begin in 2007 and run until 2009 with testing events approved by the International Bobsleigh and Tobogganing Federation (FIBT) and the International Luge Federation (FIL) in 2013 and 2014. There have been two issues with the track regarding location.

Downhill grades

Seven different locations have been submitted to both the FIBT and FIL, but have all been rejected due to high downhill grades on the track. [http://www.fil-luge.org/news/news-detail/article/problems-regarding-location-of-bobsleigh-and-luge-track-in-sotchi.html?tx_ttnews%5BpS%5D=1193871600&tx_ttnews%5BpL%5D=2591999&tx_ttnews%5Barc%5D=1&tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=157&cHash=27bc7a9631 FIL-Luge.org November 30, 2007 article on track issues dealing with downhill grades and environment.] - accessed February 25, 2008.] The joint track commission of the FIBT-FIL has expressed concerns over this issue. The head of the Königssee bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton track in Germany stated that "the FIL is not to blame for the problems occurring in connection with the track location."

Caucasian bear location

The Western Caucasus site where the track will be located has been under fire from Greenpeace Russia over its location near a World Heritage Site [http://www.greenpeace.org/russia/en/releases/sochi-2014-nature-is-nothing June 6, 2007 Greenpeace.org article on the environmental impact over facility construction for the 2014 Winter Olympics.] - accessed February 21, 2008.] Following Greenpeace Russia's official examination of the facility near the Sochi National Park, it was determined that about ten other places could be used outside of the park for track construction. Controversy about the track also included the Northern Caucasus Brown Bear's location near the track for which the bear is an endangered species.

References