October 11th, 2004
“There’s a tremendous level of pride in making a curve with a perfect line and smooth edge,” said Dave Dinger, the Park’s track operations supervisor. “The track crews consider themselves craftsmen. It takes a lot of skill and practice to get the track ready for the season. It is easy to mishandle a scrapper, create ripples or have high and low spots which all have a negative impact on the sled’s performance. The ultimate achievement is a track record in any discipline. In order to meet that goal, we need to be perfectionists and treat the track like artwork.”
The process starts by refrigerating the track to a maximum of -18 degrees Celsius, pending on weather conditions. The spraying of water, “spritzing,” takes a delicate touch with no dribble marks that cause bumpy ice. The crew detests frost on the track surface which creates aerated ice and soft conditions. Weather is a key factor. “If it’s warm, the crew needs to apply the water in a light, high pattern while if it’s cold, a heavy, full-stroke technique is necessary. The key is a consistent surface from top to bottom.”
