La Plagne bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton track
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The La Plagne bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton track is a bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton track located in La Plagne, France. The track hosted the bobsleigh and luge competitions for the 1992 Winter Olympics located in neighboring Albertville.
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[edit] History
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]
[edit] Statistics
The track consists of 6,500 cubic metres (8,500 cu yd) of concrete cooled by 80 km (50 miles) of 10 cm (3.9 in) diameter ammonia refrigeration piping that can keep the track cooled to −15 °C (5.0 °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 miles) 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]
[edit] Track lengths and turns
| Sport[2] | Length of track | Number of turns | Vertical drop (start to finish) |
Average grade (%) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| meters | yards | meters | feet | |||
| Bobsleigh and skeleton | 1,507.5 | 1,648.6 | 19 | 124.5 | 408 | 8.29 |
| Luge - men's singles | 1,249.50 | 1,366.47 | 15 | 110.62 | 362.9 | 8.8 |
| Luge - women's singles/ men's doubles | 1,142.60 | 1,249.56 | 14 | 92.24 | 302.6 | 7.5 |
There are no turn names listed for the track.
| Sport | Record | Nation - athlete(s) | Date | Time (seconds) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Luge - men's singles | Track | Markus Prock -  Austria |
December 11, 1995 | 45.176 |
| Luge - women's singles | Track | Angelika Neuner - Austria |
December 10, 1995 | 45.277 |
| Luge - men's doubles | Track |  Germany - Patric Leitner & Alexander Resch |
December 9, 1995 | 45.022 |
[edit] Championships hosted
- 1992 Winter Olympics
- FIBT World Championships: 1993 (Skeleton)[3]
[edit] References
- ^ Gamesbids.com archives of past awards of Olympic Games. - accessed January 30, 2008
- ^ a b c d e f g h i 1992 Winter Olympics official report. pp. 92-95, 350-5. (English) & (French) - accessed February 14, 2008.
- ^ a b FIBT men's skeleton world championships results since 1989
- ^ Bobsleigh rides at La Plagne. - accessed February 12, 2008.
- ^ USALuge.org tracks. - Click on La Plagne, France track and scroll down for track records on luge track records. Accessed February 14, 2008.
[edit] External links
- FIBT track profile - Men's single luge starthouse is located above turn three and intersects with women's singles/ men's doubles luge prior to intersecting with the bobsleigh/ skeleton part of the track prior to turn five.
- Official link to the bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton track. (English) & (French)
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