Cesana Pariol (pps) The most important conclusion of the Viessmann Luge World Cup on the 2006 Olympic track at Cesana Pariol, Italy, last weekend was that the track is now much safer. "The track now even allows a mistake in the lower part", said Brian Martin, one of the two athletes’ spokesmen of the International Luge Federation, FIL, and 1998 Olympic bronze and 2002 Olympic silver medallist in the doubles with his partner Mark Grimmette.

FIL President Josef Fendt reported that just three per-cent accidents were registered in 2,800 training runs. "Thus every athlete had at least 25 training runs on the Olympic track. That´s more than in other sports." Thus Cesana Pariol is average in comparison with other tracks. The athletes unanimousely characterised the track as “fast, demanding and difficult”.