Our Track

Whistler Sliding Centre lit up at night, aerial photo
WSC sliding track facility

The Fastest Track in the World - It Starts Here

History/Sporting Highlights

2005— Construction Started

2008: First runs

2010: Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games

2013: Luge World Championships

2019: Bobsleigh & Skeleton World Championships

2025: Luge World Championships

World Cups: Annually since 2009

Homegrown Olympians

Jane Channel

Skeleton

Reid Watts

Luge

Natalie Coreless

Luge

Trinity Ellis

Luge

Track Records

 Current to December 10, 2022

Skeleton

 
Women Start 4.74s B. Crowley (GBR) 24-Nov-22
4.76 J.Channel (CAN) 23-Nov-22
Finish 53.10s J. Loelling (GER) 8 Mar 2019
53.37 M.Rahneva (CAN) 20-Nov-22
Speed 144.8 km/h J. Loelling (GER) 8 Mar 2019
Men Start 4.46s M. Wyatt (GBR) & M. Weston (GBR) 24-Nov-22
4.53 K.Boyer (CAN) 20-Oct-18
Finish 51.91 M. Dukurs (LAT) 7-Mar-19
52.16 D. Greszczyszyn (CAN) 8-Mar-19
Speed 146.4 km/h A.Tretiakov (RUS)  

Bobsleigh

 
W2 Women Start 5.06s E.Meyers Taylor / K.Jones (USA) 24-Nov-17
Finish 52.01 M.Jamanka / A.Drazek (GER) 3-Mar-19
  52.42 K.Humphries/C Appiah (CAN) 21-Oct-16
Speed 150.1 km/h M.Jamanka / A.Drazek (GER) 3-Mar-19
W1 Monobob Start 5.36 C. Appiah (CAN) 10-Nov-22
  5.36 C. Appiah (CAN) 10-Nov-22
Finish 54.82s K.Humphries (USA) 9-Nov-22
  55.62 B.Ribi (CAN) 8-Nov-22
Speed      
2Man Start 4.70 s B.Hefti/T.Lamparter (SUI) 6-Feb-09
4.75 s L.Rush/L.Brown (CAN) 20-Feb-10
Finish 50.96 J.Kripps / C.Stones (CAN) 1-Mar-19
50.96 J.Kripps / C.Stones(CAN) 1-Mar-19
Speed 153.09 km/h J.Kripps / C.Stones (CAN) 1-Mar-19
4Man Start 4.69 s O.Kibermanis/M.Miknis/A.Vilkaste/J.Strenga (LAT) 8-Mar-19
4.72 s L.Rush/C.LeBihan/D.Bissett/L.Brown (CAN) 26-Feb-10
Finish 50.05s O.Kibermanis/M.Miknis/A.Vilkaste/J.Strenga (LAT) 8-Mar-19
50.13 J.Kripps/R.Sommer/C.Stones/B.Coakwell (CAN) 8-Mar-19
Speed 157.06 km/h F.Friedrich/C.Bauer/M.Grothkopp/T.Margis (GER) 9-Mar-19

History and Lore of the Track's Curves

WSC curves

Wedge 

Curve 3: Coined by venue director of the time as a nod to locally iconic Wedge Mountain

Leuder’s Loop 

Curve 7: a tribute to Pierre Lueders the most decorated Canadian Bobsleigh athlete at the time the track opened. He was pilot of the first sled on the track (with Justin Kripps as brakeman). The run was taken starting at entrance to the curve bearing his name on December, 19 2007.

Str8

Curve 8: a play on words/numbers because it is a flat section of track with a slight bend to it that is almost straight.

Lynx 

Curve 9 and 10 together: a double meaning for these two back to back left hand curves. ‘Links’ means left in German, Also Lynx’s are seen in the vicinity of this section of track periodically

Maple Leaf Start

Used for public skeleton programs and development Luge, because no body wants to be called a tourist! The Maple leaft is a connection to our Canadian identity

 

Shiver 

Curve 11: for the uneasy feeling that athletes get when they experience it for the first time. The double oscillation as the gradient drops away then flattens at the end is challenging

Goldrush Trail 

Curves 12 through Curve 15: the labyrinth section of track with rapid lefts and rights; double meaning. Nail it and you have a real shot at a Gold Medal; also a nod to the BC Gold Rush trail which passed near the region in the early 1860’s. The trail was known for gnarly twists and turns along canyon walls

Holky’s 50/50

Curve 13: Coined by Steve Holcomb, the Gold medal winning U.S. 4man pilot in 2010, and his coaches during first international runs taken on the track to exaggerate the chance of making through the curve with out crashing.

Thunderbird 

Curve 16: An honour to the First Nations traditional stories on whose traditional territory the track is situated. As sleds approach and blitz through this curve at maximum speed, sweep around 180 degrees, they create a stunning rumbling sound, akin to a building thunderstorm. It is the sound of Thunderbird, flapping its huge wings; and of the wind whipping through Silus’ hair—the sounds of the spirits of this land. Maximum speed and g-forces are experienced here, as athletes feel up to five times their body weight when entering this curve.