Whistler Mountain/Vancouver (pps) Walter Plaikner, head coach of Italy’s national luge team and Chairman of the Technical Commission Artificial Track within the International Luge Federation, FIL, did not follow the decision in the men’s event at the Viessmann Luge World Cup in Calgary, Canada. Instead, the 1972 Olympic doubles champion (together with Paul Hildgartner) visited Whistler Mountain in order to catch up on the construction progress of the Olympic track for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver.

According to Race Director Craig Lehto, who previously acted in the same position for the Olympic Winter Games in Calgary (Canada) and Salt Lake City/Park City (USA), the construction works have stopped for the moment. However, everything is right on schedule. The biggest concern for the organisers are the constantly increasing costs. In Vancouver, for instance, a rate of price increase of two per-cent per month has been recorded.