In view of the gigantic Olympic track in the Xiaohaituo Mountains near Beijing, toboggan runner Felix Loch was irritated: “Do you really have to splurge like that?” Asked the 13-time world champion before the World Cup kick-off on the mega-structure serves as a test event for the Beijing Winter Games.

In addition to the tough corona rules, China's gigantism at the Olympic test drives in Yanqing is causing mixed opinions among tobogganers and bobsledders.

The four-time Olympic luge champion Natalie Geisenberger was particularly annoyed. After an error in tracking contacts, she had to go into corona isolation and complained about bad food and the lack of opportunities to move. Teammate Loch found it "frustrating when you have to sit in the room all day and only get out to the track for training". The 32-year-old veteran sees the test competitions for the Olympics not only as a "challenge" in terms of sport.

But there are other views as well. Olympic bobsleigh champion Francesco Friedrich, who won the test races in the small and large bobsleigh at the beginning of October, raved about the rides in the ice maze. 16 curves meander through the mountains over a length of almost 1.9 kilometers. A new “superlative” has been created for the Saxon. "In the middle of the Xiaohaituo Mountains, it is a highlight in terms of both driving and tourism," said Friedrich, who is aiming for two victories at the Winter Games from February 4 to 20, 2022.

The record world champion even found the trappings “pretty good, much better than expected”. The bobsleigh pilot had also expected the restrictive action of the Chinese officials. "I think the games will be a lot looser when we're in the village." The athletes would then have "no contact with other people" anyway, he said. In Friedrich's opinion, the winner will be "the one who is the most relaxed, who can adjust to all circumstances and does not hum about it".

CEO Thomas Schwab from the Bob- und Schlittenverband für Deutschland described the new track as “the most spectacular sports facility that we have ever built.

On the other hand, it also has its price, but it's always a question of the client, ”said Schwab.

In addition, the sporting value is very high.

"The track is very demanding because completely different principles have to be applied for almost every curve for all three disciplines," said national toboggan trainer Norbert Loch.

Tackling about leaving Sochowicz

The Polish toboggan runner Mateusz Sochowicz had a hard fall during the first test drives, but due to an accidentally set up barrier. Subsequently, the strict Chinese pandemic rules made his return flight extremely difficult. The tussle over the athlete's journey home highlighted the potential complications that athletes and other participants in the Winter Olympics in February could face in an emergency.

After the treatment of his complicated lower leg fracture and cuts, Sochowicz could not simply fly home in a transport plane, informed circles confirmed in Beijing on Thursday, Polish media reports.

The reason given by the Chinese side was that the 25-year-old had not been in China long enough to meet the quarantine regulations and thus be able to move around freely.

Ultimately, however, the Chinese aviation authorities allowed the athlete to fly out to Milan on a cargo plane from the Chinese airline Air China, as reported by the Polish web portal Onet Sport.

There were also a couple of passenger seats in the cargo plane.

Sochowicz then flew from Milan to Warsaw.

Three tobogganists tested positive

In the test competitions, as in the Winter Games, the participants must move in "closed loops" in order to prevent infections.

Host China has a strict zero-covid strategy and has the pandemic largely under control.

Nevertheless, after the trial runs, another toboggan tested positive for the corona virus.

The organizers announced on Thursday.

They did not mention the name or origin of the athlete.

This is the third case after infections were found in two tobogganers last week.

Just like the first two athletes, the third toboggan did not show any symptoms, according to the organizers.

Nevertheless, he was taken to an "isolation facility" for observation.