Whistler (pps) The homologation process for The Whistler Sliding Centre concluded over the weekend, achieving another milestone in the timeline to ensure the venue for bobsleigh, luge and skeleton competitions is complete for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games. The four days of testing and evaluation by the International Bobsleigh and Tobogganing Federation (FIBT), the International Luge Federation (FIL) and the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC) will allow the venue operators to move ahead with the next phase of planning to have the facility fully operational in the coming months.

“From design, to construction and through start-up, we knew we were building a very special sliding track. This track was designed and built to be a world-unique sliding sport venue and this week’s runs, along with the feedback from the athletes, coaches and the technical officials from international sport federations, have proven that we are well on our way to reaching this goal,” said Craig Lehto, VANOC’s director, The Whistler Sliding Centre for VANOC. “The homologation process is a major milestone towards hosting spectacular sliding competitions during the Games in 2010.”

Over the duration of the homologation, more than 200 runs were taken at The Whistler Sliding Centre. Athletes from seven countries (Austria, Canada, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Russia and the USA) representing the three sliding disciplines completed runs from six different start positions on the track. Working from the bottom to the top, a detailed evaluation was completed to ensure the 1,450 metre track is safe for all athlete ability levels.

“There are lots of technical tracks around the world, but this one is so unique because of the speed — that is what makes it so challenging,” said Italy’s Walter Plaikner, technical delegate, FIL Track Commission. “The homologation went very well and there is almost nothing to change. This is because of the great work by the construction crew, the ice crew who had the ice in great condition and the entire team of people here in Canada which have done such a great job and made the homologation a success.”

Located on Blackcomb Mountain in Whistler, The Whistler Sliding Centre is the venue for the bobsleigh, luge and skeleton competitions during the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games, and is one of only 15 sliding tracks in the world. The Whistler Sliding Centre consists of a 1,450-metre competition-length concrete sliding track through 16 corners, refrigeration facilities, support buildings and access road. This new sliding track is integrated into Whistler’s long-term resort development plan. Post-Games, The Whistler Sliding Centre will be operated under the direction of the Whistler Legacy Society, supported by an endowment trust established by the federal and provincial governments.