In 1989, Utah's voters passed the Olympic referendum, allowing taxpayer money to be used to construct a winter sports park, which would include the track. The park would be used if Salt Lake City won its bid for either the 1998 or 2002 Winter Olympics and following the games, Olympic funds and revenue would then be used to repay the state. In 1990, the Utah Sports Authority announced their plans to build the park, which included ski jumps and a bobsled/luge track, in Bear Hollow near Park City.[1]
The following year, on June 15, 1991, Salt Lake City lost its 1998 Winter Olympics bid by four votes to Nagano, Japan.[2] Still, construction on the park commenced following a groundbreaking ceremony on May 29, 1991. The original estimated cost of the park was $26.3 million and included the ski jumps, bobsled/luge track, and a day lodge; following the completion of the ski jumps they were formally dedicated in a ceremony on January 9, 1993.[3] The track was designed by German luge coach Josef Lenz.[4]
A ceremony on June 3, 1994, signaled the start of construction on the bobsled/luge track.[5] The track was completed December 28, 1996 and its grand opening ceremony was held on January 25, 1997. The very first run on the new track was by luger Jon Owen on January 10, 1997.[6] Following the completion of the track it was decided to reintroduce skeleton as an Olympic event during the 2002 Winter Olympics and plans called to use the track to host all three sliding three events.
While construction was progressing on the track, Salt Lake City had won its 1995 bid to host the 2002 Winter Olympics, and plans were developed to expand the park. On October 9, 1997, the Salt Lake Organizing Committee (SLOC) authorized the plan to spend an additional $48 million to upgrade and expand the recently completed park. The plans called for the construction of starting houses on the track, chairlifts, storage buildings, and new access roads.[7] Ownership of the Park was transferred to SLOC from the Utah Sports Authority on July 14, 1999, and soon after the park's name was changed from the Utah Winter Sports Park to the Utah Olympic Park.
During the 2002 games, the track hosted 74,187 bobsleigh spectators, 14,860 skeleton spectators, and 64,104 luge spectators.[8]
Track technical details
Looking at bobsled/skeleton start and men's luge start
Costing about $25 million to construct, the track uses 297,000 watts of track lighting, 62 water hydrants (for ice- and snowmaking), 24 cameras, eight scoreboards, and 49 timing points.[9] Generally open from October to the end of March annually, the track takes a total of 18 days to ice down to the required thickness needed to run sliding events.[9] The track has 54 miles (87 km) of piping with 110,000 pounds (50,000 kg) of ammoniarefrigeration able to keep the track to −14 °F (−26 °C).[9][10] During the operating season, a nine-man crew smooths the track daily.[10] A total of 59 temperature probes are located throughout the track to ensure the ice temperature is properly monitored.[9] Throughout the track, a $1 million retractable shading system protects the course from sun and snow, which reduces energy usage by 25 percent and the need to clear the track from snow.[9]
Statistics
Team USA comes to a stop, finishing their third run during the 2002 Winter Olympics
The track as seen from the start of the men's single luge run
USA Luge Junior National Team Athlete Matt Wolbach, slides through curve six during the "2010 Utah Winter Games"
After the curve before the finish straight and the actual finish curve of Turn 15.
The turn names were given by John Morgan during Speed Channel's World Cup bobsleigh coverage on December 17 & 23, 2006.[12][13] All curves shown are bobsleigh. Men's singles' luge joins after turn two while women's singles and men's doubles luge joins after turn three. Turns 1, 2, 3, 13, and 15 do not have turn names. The section between curves 14 and 15 is the fastest, leading into a long finish straight that was referred to by Morgan as the "Graveyard" section because you could lose both time and speed if you hit the walls leading to that turn.
Up until 2009, the track was considered the "World's Fastest Ice" and was where American lugerTony Benshoof set the highest recorded luge speed of 86.6 miles per hour (139.4 km/h) on October 16, 2001, which made the Guinness Book of World Records.[10][17] Benshoof's speed record was eclipsed at the 2008-09 Luge World Cup season finale at the Whistler Sliding Centre in British Columbia, Canada, when Felix Loch of Germany reached a top speed of 153.98 km/h (95.68 mph) on February 21, 2009.[18]
^van Holland, Guus (February 12, 2002). "Legendarische rodelaar brengt soapfans in extase" [Legendary luger brings soap fans into ecstasy]. NRC.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved January 13, 2019.
^Lisa Riley Roche (June 4, 1994). "Hopes are high for 2002 at track groundbreaking". Deseret News. Retrieved December 26, 2010.
^Utah Athletic Foundation (2007). "Bobsled/Luge/Skeleton Track". Utah Athletic Foundation website. Retrieved December 26, 2010.
^Mike Gorrell (October 10, 1997). "Olympic Funds: the Vote, the Veto; Trustees Elect to Spend $48 million on Sports Park Upgrade". The Salt Lake Tribune.
^Salt Lake Organizing Committee (2002). Official Report of the XIX Olympic Winter Games(PDF). pp. 85–86. ISBN0-9717961-0-6. Retrieved December 26, 2010.
^ abcdefUtah Athletic Foundation (2007). "Bobsled/Luge/Skeleton Track". Utah Athletic Foundation website. Retrieved December 26, 2010.
International Luge Federation (FIL) – Track profile
January 12, 2023
utah, olympic, park, track, coordinates, 70778, 56389, 70778, 56389, bobsleigh, luge, skeleton, track, united, states, located, utah, olympic, park, near, park, city, utah, during, 2002, winter, olympics, nearby, salt, lake, city, track, hosted, bobsleigh, lug. Coordinates 40 42 28 N 111 33 50 W 40 70778 N 111 56389 W 40 70778 111 56389 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 Utah Olympic Park TrackLooking up at the trackin the Utah Olympic ParkUtah Olympic Park TrackLocation within the United StatesShow map of the United StatesUtah Olympic Park TrackUtah Olympic Park Track Utah Show map of UtahLocationPark City Utah U S OperatorUtah Olympic Legacy FoundationCapacity15 000Record attendance15 520SurfaceArtificial Refrigerated ConcreteConstructionBroke ground3 June 1994Built28 December 1994Opened25 January 1997Construction cost 20 millionArchitectJosef Lenz IBG amp PartnerWebsiteUtah Olympic Park Contents 1 History 2 Track technical details 3 Statistics 4 Championships hosted 5 References 6 External linksHistory Edit The track as seen during the 2002 Winter Olympics In 1989 Utah s voters passed the Olympic referendum allowing taxpayer money to be used to construct a winter sports park which would include the track The park would be used if Salt Lake City won its bid for either the 1998 or 2002 Winter Olympics and following the games Olympic funds and revenue would then be used to repay the state In 1990 the Utah Sports Authority announced their plans to build the park which included ski jumps and a bobsled luge track in Bear Hollow near Park City 1 The following year on June 15 1991 Salt Lake City lost its 1998 Winter Olympics bid by four votes to Nagano Japan 2 Still construction on the park commenced following a groundbreaking ceremony on May 29 1991 The original estimated cost of the park was 26 3 million and included the ski jumps bobsled luge track and a day lodge following the completion of the ski jumps they were formally dedicated in a ceremony on January 9 1993 3 The track was designed by German luge coach Josef Lenz 4 A ceremony on June 3 1994 signaled the start of construction on the bobsled luge track 5 The track was completed December 28 1996 and its grand opening ceremony was held on January 25 1997 The very first run on the new track was by luger Jon Owen on January 10 1997 6 Following the completion of the track it was decided to reintroduce skeleton as an Olympic event during the 2002 Winter Olympics and plans called to use the track to host all three sliding three events While construction was progressing on the track Salt Lake City had won its 1995 bid to host the 2002 Winter Olympics and plans were developed to expand the park On October 9 1997 the Salt Lake Organizing Committee SLOC authorized the plan to spend an additional 48 million to upgrade and expand the recently completed park The plans called for the construction of starting houses on the track chairlifts storage buildings and new access roads 7 Ownership of the Park was transferred to SLOC from the Utah Sports Authority on July 14 1999 and soon after the park s name was changed from the Utah Winter Sports Park to the Utah Olympic Park During the 2002 games the track hosted 74 187 bobsleigh spectators 14 860 skeleton spectators and 64 104 luge spectators 8 Track technical details Edit Looking at bobsled skeleton start and men s luge start Costing about 25 million to construct the track uses 297 000 watts of track lighting 62 water hydrants for ice and snowmaking 24 cameras eight scoreboards and 49 timing points 9 Generally open from October to the end of March annually the track takes a total of 18 days to ice down to the required thickness needed to run sliding events 9 The track has 54 miles 87 km of piping with 110 000 pounds 50 000 kg of ammonia refrigeration able to keep the track to 14 F 26 C 9 10 During the operating season a nine man crew smooths the track daily 10 A total of 59 temperature probes are located throughout the track to ensure the ice temperature is properly monitored 9 Throughout the track a 1 million retractable shading system protects the course from sun and snow which reduces energy usage by 25 percent and the need to clear the track from snow 9 Statistics Edit Team USA comes to a stop finishing their third run during the 2002 Winter Olympics The track as seen from the start of the men s single luge run USA Luge Junior National Team Athlete Matt Wolbach slides through curve six during the 2010 Utah Winter Games Physical statistics Sport 9 Length Turns Vertical drop Average grade Bobsleigh and skeleton 1 335 km 0 83 mi 15 103 5 m 340 ft 7 80Luge men s singles 1 316 km 0 82 mi 17 106 m 348 ft 8 10Luge women s singles men s doubles 1 140 km 0 71 mi 12 77 m 253 ft 6 80The elevation at the base is 6 982 feet 2 128 m above sea level 11 Turns Turn number Name Reason named4 Sunny corner Sunniest part of the track 5 Snowy corner Snowiest part of the track 6 7 8 9 10 Albert s alley11 Wasatch After the Wasatch Range in Utah 12 Olympic After the Winter Olympics 14 Finish Curve After the curve before the finish straight and the actual finish curve of Turn 15 The turn names were given by John Morgan during Speed Channel s World Cup bobsleigh coverage on December 17 amp 23 2006 12 13 All curves shown are bobsleigh Men s singles luge joins after turn two while women s singles and men s doubles luge joins after turn three Turns 1 2 3 13 and 15 do not have turn names The section between curves 14 and 15 is the fastest leading into a long finish straight that was referred to by Morgan as the Graveyard section because you could lose both time and speed if you hit the walls leading to that turn Track records Sport Record Nation Athlete s Date Time seconds Bobsleigh two man 14 Start Canada Justin Kripps amp Jesse Lumsden November 9 2011 4 77Bobsleigh two woman 15 Start Canada Kaillie Humphries amp Heather Moyse November 14 2009 5 22Luge men s singles 16 Track Austria Markus Prock February 11 2002 44 271Luge women s singles 16 Track Germany Sylke Otto February 13 2002 42 940Luge men s doubles 16 Track Germany Patric Leitner amp Alexander Resch February 15 2002 42 953Up until 2009 the track was considered the World s Fastest Ice and was where American luger Tony Benshoof set the highest recorded luge speed of 86 6 miles per hour 139 4 km h on October 16 2001 which made the Guinness Book of World Records 10 17 Benshoof s speed record was eclipsed at the 2008 09 Luge World Cup season finale at the Whistler Sliding Centre in British Columbia Canada when Felix Loch of Germany reached a top speed of 153 98 km h 95 68 mph on February 21 2009 18 Championships hosted EditWinter Olympics 2002 FIL World Luge Championships 2005 19 Skeleton World Cup 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2013 2014 2016 Luge World Cup 2001 2003 2004 2007 2011 2014 2016References Edit Joel Campbell June 29 1990 Summit County likely will win Olympics Prize A Sports Park Deseret News Retrieved December 26 2010 Games Bids Inc 2009 Past Results Retrieved December 26 2010 Lisa Riley Roche May 29 1991 Winter Sports Park gets underway Deseret News van Holland Guus February 12 2002 Legendarische rodelaar brengt soapfans in extase Legendary luger brings soap fans into ecstasy NRC nl in Dutch Retrieved January 13 2019 Lisa Riley Roche June 4 1994 Hopes are high for 2002 at track groundbreaking Deseret News Retrieved December 26 2010 Utah Athletic Foundation 2007 Bobsled Luge Skeleton Track Utah Athletic Foundation website Retrieved December 26 2010 Mike Gorrell October 10 1997 Olympic Funds the Vote the Veto Trustees Elect to Spend 48 million on Sports Park Upgrade The Salt Lake Tribune Salt Lake Organizing Committee 2002 Official Report of the XIX Olympic Winter Games PDF pp 85 86 ISBN 0 9717961 0 6 Retrieved December 26 2010 a b c d e f Utah Athletic Foundation 2007 Bobsled Luge Skeleton Track Utah Athletic Foundation website Retrieved December 26 2010 a b c Ice Modern Marvels February 11 2007 Park City IBSF tracks Retrieved January 17 2020 Park City Two woman Bobsleigh 2006 07 World Cup December 17 2006 Park City Two man Bobsleigh 2006 07 World Cup December 23 2006 Utah Olympic Park Track at the Federation Internationale de Bobsleigh et de Tobogganing Martini and Logsch take World Cup opener at the Federation Internationale de Bobsleigh et de Tobogganing 13 November 2009 news accessed November 14 2009 a b c USALuge org tracks Click on Park City Utah track and scroll down for track records on luge track records Accessed January 31 2008 United States Olympic Committee profile of Tony Benshoof for the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin accessed January 30 2008 David Moller realizes his first victory of the season at the Federation Internationale de Luge de Course 22 February 2009 article accessed February 22 2009 FIL World Luge Championships results since 1955External links EditUtah Olympic Legacy Foundation Official website International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation FIBT Track profile International Luge Federation FIL Track profile Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Utah Olympic Park Track amp oldid 1110489789, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
