Paramonovo. Probably the world’s most cost-saving artificially refrigerated track has passed its first crucial test with flying colors. According to information from the Russian luge federation the artificially refrigerated track in Paramonovo was constructed with an expenditure of only 45 million US dollars. About two weeks after its official opening in the presence of Dmitri Medvedev, since May 2008 President of Russia as successor to Vladimir Putin, and Josef Fendt, the President of the International Luge Federation (FIL), Russia’s national luge championships were staged there. The titles were won by Albert Demtschenko, 2006 European Champion and silver medalist at the Olympic Winter Games in Turin, Tatiana Ivanova, ninth at the 2008 Junior World Championships in Lake Placid, and Michail Kuzmich/Stanislav Mikheev, eighth at the 2008 World Championships in Oberhof.

The responsible body for the Russian project was the planning group of the Lomonosov University of Moscow headed by Dr. Alexander Schachnazarow and Dr. Alexander Ostroumonow. A special computer program was developed especially for the planning of this track.