In the lead up to this weekend’s 2nd Viessmann Luge World Cup Whistler I’ve been taking some photos up at the Whistler Sliding Centre. One of the many legacies left behind after the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games, the track is a marvel unto itself. One of the fastest in the world, if not the fastest, it plummets 152 vertical metres in 1.45km with top speeds reaching over 140km/hr by the top level athletes. Its also a great place to take photos and I took advantage of this week’s international training sessions to snap a few.

Grooves in the ice at the men's luge start

An athlete's visor rests on his sled

An athlete waits for the green light to start his practice run

A luger slides up the finish ramp

An athlete talks to his coaches via radio after his practice run

Luge sleds lie waiting for their turn down the course

Other athletes look on as a team of doubles luge prepares for their run

Frosty timing clock at the women's luge start

A luger approaches the finish area after a run down the track