Park City (pps) The Utah Olympic Park and the bobsled, skeleton and luge community lost a valuable member of its family on August 25 when David Dinger, age 45, passed away at his home in Park City after battling renal cell carcinoma since last October. Dinger, a devoted father to Jack, 13 and Joe, 10, always had an interest in international sports and was a great advocate of sport. He engaged to the fullest by participating in luge events as well as being a spectator. He became involved in sliding sports after receiving a Learn-to-Luge clinic as a birthday gift in December 2001. He immediately got hooked on the sport of Luge which lead to his interest in the 2002 Winter Olympic Games. He landed a job working on the track and was positioned at “curve 12” for the duration of sliding events. Soon after the Games, he applied for the Track Manager position and was accepted based on his experience and his career in Public Relations while living in California. He dedicated himself to sliding sports, gaining a reputation worldwide at being an “Icemeister” and setting the bar for other tracks around the world. “David has been our inspirational leader of the Olympic Park track. He had a special ability to bring out the best in his staff, the athletes, and a family of international officials who admired and respected his vision and leadership. It will be an honor and privilege for us to continue operating the track and developing athletes in a way that David worked so hard to see happen,” said Colin Hilton, President of Utah Athletic Foundation. Our deepest sympathy goes to his family and the UtahOlympic Park.