The Luge has actually changed this year

The world lost Nodar Kumaritashviliin in 2010. He was nearly invisible on the track. These athletes had reached speed of up to 90 mph with absolutely no protection. There is a very good chance we may never see those speeds again and that is a good thing.

New records for the course begin this year. If they start the course, they need to finish the course.

While the speed is always the focus, driving The Luge is not an easy vehicle to drive. It literally is a flexible vehicle that allows the body the luxury of sliding fast. It bends with every body movement, so the steering is vital. The Luge is not sincerely a sled. It is more like a vehicle that allows the body to wear blades for sliding.

It is a sport of complete confidence in the driver's ability. It is among the most dangerous, although they never think about it.

Officials blamed a luger's death in the 2010 games entirely on driver error. But some fear a design flaw in the course played a role—and that another accident could happen this year. 

Tom McNichol  
Feb 8 2014, 3:15 PM ET

The 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi (click here) could see a world record or two broken, as the planet’s top athletes push each other to greater heights and faster speeds. However, one sport almost certainly won’t see any records fall this year at the Games: the luge. While many winter sports—like downhill skiiing, snowboarding, and speed skating—are getting faster, luge is the rare Olympic sport that’s getting slower. And that’s by design.

The luge track at Sochi, officially known as the Sanki Sliding Center, features an unusual design element for a sliding-sport venue: uphill sections. Most luge tracks don't have any rise in elevation along their courses, but Sochi has three uphill stretches....