La Plagne bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton track

Last updated

The La Plagne bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton track is a bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton track located in La Plagne, France. The track was the venue for the bobsleigh and luge competitions for the 1992 Winter Olympics whose host city was neighboring Albertville.

Contents

History

View of the track's upper section Piste de bobsleigh de La Plagne.JPG
View of the track's upper section

In 1986, Albertville was awarded the 1992 Winter Olympics over Sofia, Bulgaria; Falun, Sweden; Lillehammer, Norway; Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy; Anchorage, Alaska, United States; and Berchtesgaden, West Germany. [1] The track was constructed from September 1988 to December 1990 designed for use in bobsleigh and luge competitions with the drivers in mind. [2] Ice team staff was recruited in August 1990 while the first ice test was performed in January 1991. [2] The first bobsleigh test event was in February 1991 while the first luge test event was in March 1991. [2] The track hosted the skeleton event of the FIBT World Championships in 1993. [3] Since the 1992 Winter Olympics, the track has been host to programs on bobsleigh rides performed by 1998 Winter Olympic medalist Bruno Mingeon. [4] The track was part of neighboring Annecy's bid package for the 2018 Winter Olympics which was submitted to the International Olympic Committee on 15 October 2009. [5]

Statistics

The track consists of 6,500 cubic metres (8,500 cu yd) of concrete cooled by 80 km (50 mi) of 10 cm (3.9 in) diameter ammonia refrigeration piping that can keep the track cooled to −15 °C (5 °F). [2] When water is applied to ice up the track, a total of 15 ice workers manually apply the water to generate ice up to a thickness of 4 cm (1.6 inch) that is kept at a temperature of -7 to - 10 °C (14 to 19 °F). [2] The outside of the track is covered with insulation and wood. [2] 40 km (25 mi) of electrical conduit connects the track from start to finish, including timing, television cables, computers, and sensors. [2] Technicians from the bobsleigh and luge track in Igls, Austria assisted the ice workers during production and maintenance of the ice for the 1992 Winter Olympics. [2]

Track lengths and turns

Physical statistics
Sport [2] Length of trackNumber of turnsVertical drop
(start to finish)
Average grade (%)
metersyardsmetersfeet
Bobsleigh and skeleton1,507.51,648.619124.54088.29
Luge – men's single1,249.501,366.4715110.62362.98.8
Luge – women's singles / men's doubles1,142.601,249.561492.24302.67.5

There are no turn names listed for the track.

Track records

Bobsleigh

SportRecordNation – athlete(s)DateTime (seconds)
4-manTrackFlag of Germany.svg  GermanyChristoph Langen / Marko Jacobs / Thomas Platzer / Sven Rühr 19 December 199857.31
2-manTrackFlag of Germany.svg  GermanyChristoph Langen / Thomas Platzer 18 December 199858.68
2-womanTrackFlag of Germany.svg  GermanyLaura Nolte / Deborah Levi 11 January 20201:00.67
MonobobTrackFlag of the United States.svg  United StatesKaysha Love 9 December 20231:03.79

Skeleton

SportRecordNation – athlete(s)DateTime (seconds)
MenTrackFlag of Russia.svg  RussiaAlexander Tretiakov 10 January 202059.28
WomenTrackFlag of Russia.svg  RussiaElena Nikita 10 January 20201:01.35

Luge [6]

SportRecordNation – athlete(s)DateTime (seconds)
Men's singlesTrackFlag of Austria.svg  AustriaMarkus Prock 11 December 199545.176
Women's singlesTrackFlag of Austria.svg  AustriaAngelika Neuner 10 December 199545.277
Men's doublesTrackFlag of Germany.svg  GermanyPatric Leitner / Alexander Resch 9 December 199545.022

Championships hosted

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cesana Pariol</span>

Cesana Pariol was the venue for bobsleigh, luge and skeleton during the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy. The track, built for the games, is located in Cesana. The venue holds approximately 7,130 spectators, of whom 3,624 are seated.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation</span> International sport governing body

The International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation (IBSF) is the international sports federation for the sliding sports of Bobsleigh and Skeleton. It was founded on 23 November 1923 by the delegates of Great Britain, France, Switzerland, Canada, and the United States at the meeting of their first International Congress in Paris, France. In June 2015, it announced a name change from FIBT to IBSF. The federation's headquarters are in Lausanne, Switzerland.

The FIBT World Championships 1992 took place in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. This was Calgary's first time hosting a championship event. It was also an extraordinary event since men's skeleton was not included in the program of the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville, France.

The FIBT World Championships 1993 took place in Igls, Austria (Bobsleigh) and La Plagne, France (Skeleton). This was Igls's fourth time hosting the championships, doing so previously in 1935 (Two-man) and 1963, and 1991 (Skeleton). Meanwhile, La Plagne was hosting its first championship event.

The FIBT World Championships 2009, officially known as the Bauhaus FIBT Bobsleigh & Skeleton World Championships, February 20 to March 1, 2009, at the bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton track in Lake Placid, New York, for the ninth time, doing so previously in 1949, 1961, 1969, 1973, 1978, 1983, 1997 (skeleton), and 2003. Lake Placid was chosen 25–11 over Igls, Austria.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Altenberg bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton track</span>

The Altenberg bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton track is a venue in Germany for bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton. Located in Saxony in eastern Germany, it is northwest of Altenberg, near the border with the Czech Republic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Königssee bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton track</span>

The Königssee bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton track is a venue in Germany for bobsleigh, luge and skeleton, located in Schönau am Königssee, Bavaria, near Königssee and the border with Austria. Completed 56 years ago in 1968, it is the first permanent, artificially refrigerated bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton track in the world. In July 2021, the track was severely damaged by the floods that affected the European continent.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Olympic Sliding Centre Innsbruck</span>

The Olympic Sliding Centre Innsbruck is a venue for bobsleigh, luge and skeleton located in Igls, Austria. The most recent version of the track was completed in 1975 and is the first permanent, combination artificially refrigerated bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton track, serving as a model for other tracks of its kind worldwide. It hosted the bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton competitions for the 2012 Winter Youth Olympics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mt. Van Hoevenberg Olympic Bobsled Run</span> United States historic place

The Mt. Van Hoevenberg Olympic Bobsled Run is a venue for bobsleigh, luge and skeleton in the United States, located at the Lake Placid Olympic Sports Complex in Lake Placid, New York. This venue was used for the 1932 and 1980 Winter Olympics and for the only winter Goodwill Games in 2000. The track hosted both the first FIBT World Championships and FIL World Luge Championships held outside of Europe, doing so in 1949 and 1983. The third and most recent version of the track was completed in 2000. In 2010 the bobsled track was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Utah Olympic Park Track</span> Winter Sports Track near Park City, Utah

The Utah Olympic Park Track is a bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton track in the United States, located in the Utah Olympic Park near Park City, Utah. During the 2002 Winter Olympics in nearby Salt Lake City, the track hosted the bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton events. Today the track still serves as a training center for Olympic and development level athletes and hosts numerous local and international competitions. It is one of two national tracks; the other is at Mt. Van Hoevenberg near Lake Placid, New York.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spiral (bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton)</span> Japanese bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton track

The Spiral is a bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton track located in Iizuna village, located north of Nagano, Japan. Used for the bobsleigh and luge competitions for the 1998 Winter Olympics, it is the first permanent bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton track in Asia and the first of its type in the world with two or more uphill sections. It is officially referred to as the Nagano Bobsleigh-Luge Park in Japan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sigulda bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton track</span>

The Sigulda Bobsleigh and Luge Track is located in Sigulda, Latvia, built in 1986. Currently, the track manager is Dainis Dukurs, former bobsleigh brakeman and the father of skeleton racers Martins and Tomass Dukurs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canada Olympic Park bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton track</span>

The Canada Olympic Park bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton track is a bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton track located in Calgary, Alberta. Part of Canada Olympic Park, it hosted the bobsleigh and luge competitions at the 1988 Winter Olympics. This track is one of only two of its type in the world to be featured in a non-documentary film when it was part of the 1993 American film Cool Runnings which loosely followed the Jamaican Bobsled Team during their competition in bobsleigh at the 1988 Games.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lillehammer Olympic Bobsleigh and Luge Track</span> Bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton track in Lillehammer, Norway

Lillehammer Olympic Bobsleigh and Luge Track is a bobsleigh, luge and skeleton track located at Hunderfossen in Lillehammer, Norway, 15 kilometers (9 mi) north of the town center of Lillehammer. It was completed in 1992 for the 1994 Winter Olympics, where it hosted the bobsleigh events and luge events. It has since also hosted the FIBT World Championships 1995 in skeleton and the FIL World Luge Championships 1995, and hosted 2016 Winter Youth Olympics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Winterberg bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton track</span>

The Winterberg bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton track is a bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton track located in Winterberg, Germany. It is the only track of its kind in the world with a turn that has corporate sponsorship with turn seven being sponsored by Veltins, a German brewery which has its headquarters located in neighboring Meschede.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sliding Center Sanki</span>

The Sliding Center Sanki (Санки) is a bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton track located in Rzhanaya Polyana, Russia, 60 km (37 mi) northeast of Sochi. Located in the Western Caucasus. The venue hosted the bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton events for the 2014 Winter Olympics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Venues of the 1976 Winter Olympics</span>

For the 1976 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck, Austria, a total of eight sports venues were used. The games were originally awarded to Denver, Colorado in the United States in 1970, but they withdrew in the wake of Colorado residents voting against it for environmental and cost reasons in November 1972. This led to the International Olympic Committee opening up the bids for the games again, eventually awarding them to Innsbruck in February 1973. The Austrian city, having hosted the Winter Olympics in 1964, was in the process of having the venues used for those Games before Denver's with clear cutting of the alpine skiing venues, lessening of the amount of cross-country skiing routes, upgrading the ski jumps, adding lighting in the indoor sports arena to accommodate color television, and the construction of a combination bobsleigh and luge track. After the 1976 Games, the venues have remained in use, hosting events in Nordic skiing and the sliding sports. They hosted some of the events for the Winter Universiade in 2005 and seven of the eight venues served as host for the first Winter Youth Olympic Games in 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Venues of the 1980 Winter Olympics</span>

For the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, New York, United States, a total of seven sports venues were used. All five of the venues used for the 1932 Winter Olympics were also used at the 1980 Winter Games with adjustments. These adjustments included electronic scoreboards, increased refrigeration, and the addition of a separate luge track. This was the last Winter Olympics where there were separate bobsleigh and luge tracks. The closest finish in Olympic history in cross-country skiing led skiing officials to time future events in hundredths of a second rather than tenths of a second. This would also apply to biathlon events. Eric Heiden won five gold medals at the speed skating oval while the "Miracle on Ice" took place between Americans and Soviets at the Olympic Center. In the late 1990s, the luge track was demolished and a new combination track was constructed in time for the only Winter Goodwill Games held. The sliding venue was named to the American National Register of Historical Places in February 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Venues of the 1988 Winter Olympics</span>

For the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, a total of nine sports venues were used. Calgary tried twice to host the Winter Olympics in the 1960s without success before finally winning the 1988 Winter Games in 1981. Stampede Corral was built in 1950 while McMahon Stadium was built in 1960. When the National Hockey League (NHL) Flames franchise was relocated from Atlanta, Georgia in the United States during the summer of 1980, a new arena was needed. The Saddledome construction was underway in late 1981 when Calgary was awarded the 1988 Games. Completed in 1983, the Olympic Saddledome has played host to the Flames ever since, including three Stanley Cup Finals and the NHL All-Star Game in 1985. An innovation for the games was the first indoor long-track speed skating venue which has served as a model for future Olympics. The bobsleigh and luge track was the first combination track in North America and was noted for the Jamaican bobsleigh team crash during the four-man event. Both the Oval and the bobsleigh/luge track continue to host the World Championships in their respective sports since the 1988 Winter Olympics.

For the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville, France, a total of thirteen sports venues were used. Val-d'Isère has been part of the Alpine Skiing World Cup since the late 1960s while Tignes served as host of the first Freestyle World Ski Championships in 1986. Most of the venues used were constructed between 1987 and mid 1990 with the test events taking place in late 1990 and early 1991. It was the last Winter Olympics with an outdoor speed skating rink which led to weather issues for three of the ten events. Three cross-country skiing events were run in snowstorms while the men's 20 km biathlon was found to be 0.563 km (0.350 mi) too short. The downhill events in alpine skiing were criticized for being too steep. Freestyle skiing made its official debut at these games with the men's winner being stormed after his win while the women's winner won her event in a snow storm. La Plagne hosted the skeleton World Championships in 1993 while Val-d'Isère hosted the Alpine World Ski Championships in 2009.Some of the venues will be used again during the 2030 Winter Olympics,when the main host city will be Nice.

References

  1. Gamesbids.com archives of past awards of Olympic Games. - accessed January 30, 2008
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1992 Winter Olympics official report. Archived 2008-02-26 at the Wayback Machine pp. 92-95, 350-5. (in English and French) - accessed February 14, 2008.
  3. 1 2 FIBT men's skeleton world championships results since 1989 Archived 2007-09-29 at the Wayback Machine
  4. Bobsleigh rides at La Plagne. Archived 2007-10-21 at archive.today - accessed February 12, 2008.
  5. Annecy 2018 bid presentation featuring La Plagne (p. 4) - accessed 17 October 2009.
  6. USALuge.org tracks. - Click on La Plagne, France track and scroll down for track records on luge track records. Accessed 14 February 2008.

45°31′18″N6°40′40″E / 45.52167°N 6.67778°E / 45.52167; 6.67778