A speed competition on the ice, where a thousandth of a second matters, took place on Feb. 17 at the Alpensia Sliding Center in Pyeongchang, Gangwon-do Province, one of the host cities for next year’s PyeongChang 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.
The Viessmann Luge World Cup, held from Feb. 17 to 19, is the final rehearsal for luge athletes before next year’s Winter Olympics, less than one year away.
In the Nations Cup doubles competition, a preliminary round for the World Cup, 16 lugers from 12 nations sped down the track. Thanks to the enthusiastic fans who cheered with Russian flags, Alexander Denisyev and Vladislav Antonov from Russia took first place with a record of 47.120 seconds.
Alexander Denisyev and Vladislav Antonov stop the clock at 47.120 and top the rankings sheet at the Viessmann Luge World Cup Nations Cup, a test event for the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games next year, at the Alpensia Sliding Center in Pyeongchang, Gangwon-do Province.
Korean athletes Park Jin-yong and Cho Jung-myung compete in the Viessmann Luge World Cup Nations Cup doubles race on Feb. 17. They finished fifth and made it into the World Cup to be held on Feb. 18.
Justin Garret Krewson and Andrew Sherk from the U.S. slide down the track during the Viessmann Luge World Cup Nations Cup doubles competition.
The Alpensia Sliding Center is newly built for next year’s Winter Olympic Games. Luge, bobsleigh and skeleton races will be held here. To commemorate the year the games are to be held, the track is 2,018 meters long and consists of 16 turns.
Luge, skeleton and bobsleigh will be held at the Alpensia Sliding Center, the newly-constructed track for the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.
A luge athlete participates in training at the Alpensia Sliding Center in Pyeongchang, Gangwon-do Province, on Feb. 17.
The athletes and staff that visited the venue for the Viessmann Luge World Cup expressed their satisfaction about the track.
“I think the Olympics can take place here, even right now” said Atis Strenga, an official from the International Luge Federation. “All of the necessary track and other facilities are ready to host the games,” he said.
Aileen Frisch, a German-born luger that recently joined Team Korean, said, “I think the track is generally in favor of heavy racers that can get more acceleration easily than those with skills, except for curves 9 and 11, the curves most athletes find the most difficult.”
By Kim Young Shin
Korea.net Staff Writer
Photos: Jeon Han Korea.net Photographer
ysk1111@korea.kr
A fan with Russian and Korean flags on his cheeks poses for a picture with Alexander Denisyev and Vladislav Antonow, the doubles winners in the Viessmann Luge World Cup Nations Cup after the medal ceremony at the Alpensia Sliding Center in Pyeongchang, Gangwon-do Province, on Feb. 17.
