FIL President Fendt praises Alpensia Sliding Centre in PyeongChang

PyeongChang (RWH): At the Olympic rehearsals during the Viessmann World Cup, Korea’s Alpensia Sliding Centre left a “very good impression” on President of the International Luge Federation (FIL), Josef Fendt of Germany. “The Koreans have done a great job. We’ve got a really good track in Korea,” said FIL President Fendt, referring to the future Olympic track.

“Of course, a couple of improvements are needed here and there,” Fendt added. He explained that modifications would take place in close liaison with the track’s operators and the experts from the FIL and the IBSF, the International Bob and Skeleton Federation. The Olympic trials were attended by an international team of ice experts from Latvia, Russia, Canada, France and Austria responsible for carving the ice surface. The team was headed up by Walter Plaikner (ITA), deputy chairman of the FIL’s track construction committee, who became Olympic champion as an athlete before going on to hold posts, such as coach for the US team.