Skip to content

Calgary giving up luge world championship to Whistler because of track shutdown

Calgary is giving up the 2021 world luge championships to Whistler, B.C., because of uncertainty over the sliding track.
17036757_web1_CPT11700804

Calgary is giving up the 2021 world luge championships to Whistler, B.C., because of uncertainty over the sliding track.

Luge Canada executive director Tim Farstad says he’ll ask the international governing body of the sport to approve the change at its congress in June.

The Calgary track shut down this spring and a planned $25-million renovation is on hold until money can be found to complete it.

The 33-year-old facility was the sliding sport venue at the 1988 Winter Olympics. The Whistler track was the site of sliding sports at the 2010 Winter Games.

WinSport, which oversees the track at Canada Olympic Park, has said it was counting on a Calgary bid for the 2026 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games to generate more funding for the track.

But Calgarians voted down a bid in a plebiscite last November.