Women don’t like luge track changes

WHISTLER, British Columbia – Top female lugers are upset with the decision to begin racing from a lower spot on the Olympic track, a switch made to limit speeds following the death of a Georgian man during training.

“It’s not fun,” German gold-medal hopeful Natalie Geisenberger said.

Geisenberger said the course now seems like one built for children.

“It’s not for ladies,” Geisenberger said. “It’s a kinder start.”

Nodar Kumaritashvili died Friday when he came around the final curve at nearly 90 mph, lost control and was thrown from his sled, over a track wall and into a steel post.

International luge officials decided to make several changes to the Olympic program after that wreck, including having all sliders – men, women and doubles teams – start farther down the track.

That’s created a scramble for racers to figure out what feels in many ways like a new course, which is about 800 feet shorter than what the women came to Canada expecting.

For the women, the start dictates the entire competition more than ever.

“It’ll make or break the race,” Erin Hamlin of the U.S. said.