The track that has hosted the Olympic sliding events will have a lasting legacy of high-level competition, officials said Saturday, while insisting the memory of the Georgian luger who died would endure.
"We will never forget the tragic loss of Nodar Kumaritashvili, and our thoughts continue to be with his friends, family and the sliding community," said Svein Romstad, secretary general of the International Luge Federation (FIL).
"I cannot think of a better way to honour Nodar's spirit than to ensure that athletes of all ages and skill sets utilize the Whistler Sliding Centre and grow the sport of luge," added Romstad, who insisted the future of sliding sports was bright.
Kumaritashvili died on a pre-Games training run when the 21-year-old lost control of his sled and flew off the track, hitting a metal stadium support above the exit wall.
He died shortly afterwards.
The incident cast a pall over the Olympics, forcing officials who had boasted beforehand that the track was the fastest in the world to modify it to bolster athlete safety.
In addition, the start of the luge events was brought down to the women's level for the men and the junior level for women -- changes which sparked protests from some participants who bemoaned a course they felt had become too easy.
Even so, the bobsleigh has continued to start from the top owing to the need for a long run-up and the event has seen some 20 spectacular crashes.
Although none caused serious injury several athletes had to be hospitalised and five teams pulled out of the four-man event.
Despite the luge tragedy, the Vancouver organizing committee, FIL and their bobsleigh counterpart (FIBT) Saturday confirmed post-Games plans to develop sliding sports under the aegis of the the Whistler 2010 Sport Legacies group.
This would help open up opportunities for aspiring athletes.
"Ever since the bid, the goal for the Whistler Sliding Centre has been to thrive as a legacy for sliding sports post-Games," said Cathy Priestner Allinger, VANOC's executive vice-president.
The track is Canada's second after the one used at 1988 Calgary Olympics.
Both the FIL and the FIBT plan to hold World Cup events in Whistler after 2010.
"The Whistler Sliding Centre will be one of the classic tracks on the FIBT World Cup circuit," said FIBT president Robert Storey.
"The FIBT fully intends to have annual World Cups in Whistler along with development programmes and junior circuit races in both bobsleigh and skeleton."
An existing local sports programme already opens up the track to youngsters, including children as young as eight.
Copyright 2010  AFP American Edition
