Winter Olympics - Germany partner with BMW to produce bobsleigh track simulator to give them the edge in Beijing 2022

Updated 14/02/2022 at 10:01 GMT

Julian von Schleinitz is commentating on the Winter Olympics for Eurosport Germany this year, and revealed in the fascinating Hambüchen & Friends - The Olympic Podcast, how he built a simulator to help athletes prepare for the bobsleigh events at Beijing 2022. He was integral in gaining vital information about the track, after analysing video runs of what the bobsleigh riders will tackle.

Mariama Jamanka of Team Germany slides during the Women's Monobob Bobsleigh Heat 4 on day 10 of Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games at National Sliding Centre

Image credit: Getty Images

The German bobsleigh team are hoping to have a big advantage at the Winter Olympics after a former luger and Eurosport Germany pundit linked up with BMW to develop a simulator of the track at Beijing 2022.

Julian von Schleinitz is a former junior world champion in luge and has been working with Eurosport as an expert commentator following his retirement in 2018.

Despite not competing any more, Von Schleinitz played a helping hand in Germany’s preparations for the bobsleigh events by roping in BMW to create a simulator of the track at Beijing 2022.

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He was integral in gaining vital information about the track, after analysing video runs of what the bobsleigh riders will tackle in China in a bid to give the Germans an added advantage in this year’s events.

Von Schleinitz admitted that one of the key issues faced in the ambitious project was being unable to measure the actual track in Beijing, so they had to look closer to home and model the distance of the track at Königssee for the 3D model.

He explained that once this data was gathered, it was enough to make a head-start on building the simulator.

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He said on the Hambüchen & Friends - The Olympic Podcast: "We built the simulator and tuned it to that track until the athletes said, 'Now it feels good, that's how it is in reality.'

“We then developed a Beijing model based on data we had from the lugers. The athletes then took this model and prepared for the Olympics."

Julian von Schleinitz during his days as a luger

Image credit: Getty Images

Germany has dominated the sliding events at Beijing 2022, winning the first six available gold medals - four in luge and two in skeletons. While Kaillie Humphries won the women's monobob event to end that monopoly, the Germans are hoping double 2018 gold medallist Francesco Friedrich can use his experience from the simulator to repeat his success in the men's bobsleigh events in Beijing.

But despite Germany's dominance in the sliding sports, the 30-year-old Von Schleinitz is sceptical about their future: "It's a great sport, the training is very varied. You don't wear out the body.

"But it's more difficult to get young people interested in sports these days. And when it comes to luge, the luge run in Königssee has been (closed) and it's unclear when it will be rebuilt.

“I'm afraid that we could have a few years where we don't have any top lugers. ... They will say: 'Why should I do luge now and commute five hours to Innsbruck every day?' It's going to be difficult."

The bobsleigh events continue this afternoon when the first two-man heat begins at 12.05 UK time.

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