Olympic Crash: The Luge Tragedy

The Olympic Luge Track
The site of the Vancouver Olympics luge, skeleton and bobsled competitions, the 1,450-m (almost 5,000 ft.) track of the Whistler Sliding Centre and its 15 curves had earned several risk-laden nicknames even before the Feb. 12 accident that took the life of Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili during a training run. According to Britain's Daily Telegraph, the 13th curve was called "50/50" because racers were said to have only a 1 in 2 chance of making it through unhurt.

• A Brief History of the Opening Ceremonies