Luge slider dies in Olympics practice crash

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(CNN) -- A luge slider from Georgia was killed Friday when he crashed during an Olympic training session hours before the opening ceremony of the Winter Games in Vancouver, British Columbia, the Georgian Embassy and the International Olympic Committee said.

Nodar Kumaritashvili, 21, was near the end of the course when he had a "serious crash" and was propelled off the track, according to the IOC. Video of the crash shows Kumaritashvili lying motionless after being thrown from his sled and striking a steel pole as he was coming out of the course's last turn.

He was given CPR by medical staff on site before being transported to a hospital where doctors were unable to revive him, the IOC said.

"It is difficult to remain composed," IOC President Jacques Rogge told reporters as he was overcome with emotion. "This is a very sad day. The IOC is in deep mourning."

An investigation into the cause of the crash is under way, the IOC said, and Rogge declined to comment on what safety precautions may be put into place pending the investigation's outcome.

Full statement from IOC

"This is a time of sorrow, not a time to look for reasons," Rogge said at the brief news conference. "That will come in due time."

Kumaritashvili was scheduled to compete in the men's singles luge event, which begins Saturday. The official training session was being held just hours before the opening ceremony for the Winter Games.

"He came to Canada with hopes and dreams that this would be a magnificent occasion in his life," said John Furlong of the Vancouver Organizing Committee. "We are heartbroken beyond words to be sitting here."

Rogge said the IOC has been in contact with the Georgian Olympic Committee, Kumaritashvili's family and the president of the Georgian republic to express their condolences.

The luge is often called the "fastest sport on ice." Sliders use their legs and shoulders to steer small fiberglass sleds down an icy track, at times approaching or surpassing speeds of 90 mph, according to the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics Web site. They are positioned on their backs with their feet straight out in front of them and their heads back to be as aerodynamic as possible.

The luge track at the Whistler Sliding Center where Friday's crash occurred is about 4,500 feet long (1,371 meters). A track speed record was recorded February 21, 2009, when a single men's luge athlete topped 95 mph.

American luger Tony Benshoof said Friday that he had had problems in the lower portion of the track during one of his training runs.

"Because of the physics of the curves, and going at 95 mph, there's a really small margin for error," Benshoof said. "You really need to get it right from curve nine to get as far as curve 13, because once you get to curve 11 and 12, you're going too fast to correct yourself."

Kumaritashvili crashed on the 16th and final curve.