First testing and homologation
The first run took place on 19 December 2007 with Canadian bobsledder Pierre Lueders and his brakeman Justin Kripps starting at the Junior Start house, located 520 meters down the 1450 meter track.[9][10] A total of six runs were made under the auspices of the International Bobsleigh and Tobogganing Federation (FIBT).[9] First tests of the track for luge occurred in the last weeks of February 2008 with the Canadian Luge Association opening a branch at the track.[11] Among the luge participants were Tatjana Hüfner, David Möller (both Germany), Tony Benshoof, Erin Hamlin, Christian Niccum, Dan Joye (all from United States), Armin Zöggeler (Italy), Markus Schiegl, Tobias Schiegl (both Austria), Jeff Christie, Ian Cockerline, Samuel Edney, Regan Lauscher, Meaghan Simister, Chris Moffat, and Mike Moffat (all Canada).[12] Bobsleigh participants included André Lange, Sandra Kiriasis (both Germany), Alexandre Zoubkov (Russia), Lueders, Lyndon Rush, Helen Upperton, Lisa Szabon (all from Canada), and Shauna Rohbock (United States) while skeleton participants included Kristan Bromley (Great Britain), Katie Uhlaender, Zach Lund (both United States), Kerstin Juergens (Germany), John Montgomery, Jeff Pain, Michelle Kelly, and Lindsay Alcock (all from Canada).[13] Over 200 runs were taken from six different starting positions on the track.[14] Praise was given both by the FIBT and the International Luge Federation (FIL) over the successful homologation of the track.[14] VANOC, the Olympic Organizing Committee for the 2010 Winter Olympics, reviewed the recommendations made from both the FIBT and the FIL in order to fine tune the track.[14] Canadian teams continued testing and training at the track until March 20, 2008.[14] Lueders of Canada commented that the track "... [is] definitely the fastest ... in the world and that's what makes it so difficult" while Kelly of Canada concurred with "... any loss of concentration ... [can get you] ... in trouble because it is technical as well."[15] Final track inspection by the FIL Executive Board took place 25-27 September 2008.[16]