Carl Roepke at the USA Luge Masters race at Utah Olympic Park in 2014. Photo: Laura Murphy // USA Luge

LAKE PLACID, N.Y. — On Tuesday, USA Luge announced that selection races have been scheduled over five days this month to finalize its team for World Cup racing in November in China.

Women and doubles selection competitions are set for October 24-25 in Park City. After, the team will train at Utah Olympic Park from Oct. 20-25.

Qualification for the opening five World Cups is a mandatory first step for athletes seeking a berth on Team USA.

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The American World Cup squad will produce the 10 nominees for February’s Olympic Games. Those competitors will be announced in mid-January after the seventh of nine meets on the Eberspacher World Cup tour.

Men’s selection races are set for Oct. 8 and 10 in Sochi, and Oct. 16 in Lake Placid.

USA Luge will compete against Italy on Friday in a “friendly.” All disciplines will participate with the Italians, although only the U.S. men are sliding for selection points.

The first two dates are scheduled on the 2014 Olympic track where Erin Hamlin won the team’s first-ever Olympic women’s and singles medal. USA Luge is currently in the second week of a two-week camp at the site.

The U.S. team will then return to Lake Placid for a home stint Oct. 12-16 and conclude the week with the final men’s selection race. The field will include two-time Olympian Tucker West along with Jonny Gustafson.

Competitions are slated for Oct. 16 in Lake Placid, followed by the pair in Park City.

The women’s field will be highlighted by 2014 and 2018 Olympian Summer Britcher, 2018 Olympian Emily Sweeney, the Park City duo of Brittney Arndt and Ashley Farquharson, as well as Chevonne Forgan.

In doubles, three sleds will be comprised of Dana Kellogg and Duncan Segger, Zack DiGregorio and Sean Hollander, and Forgan with Sophie Kirkby.

Mazdzer is racing both singles and doubles, but after the broken foot, he is sidelined along with doubles partner Jayson Terdiman. Together, they account for five previous Olympic berths. Mazdzer intends to return to on-ice training next month on the new Olympic course in Beijing.

Chris Madzder, USA’s only Olympic Luge male medalist, injured

The entire circuit will arrive in Beijing in early November to catch up on lost sliding opportunities due to the pandemic and related travel restrictions.

World Cup action begins there with pre-Olympic races on Nov. 20-21.

SELECTION RACE PARTICIPANTS (SINGLES)

Tucker West (Ridgefield, Conn.)
Jonny Gustafson (Massena, N.Y.)
Summer Britcher (Glen Rock, Pa.)
Emily Sweeney (Lake Placid, N.Y.)
Ashley Farquharson (Park City, Utah)
Brittney Arndt (Park City, Utah)
Chevonne Forgan (Chelmsford, Mass.)

SELECTION RACE PARTICIPANTS (DOUBLES)

Dana Kellogg (Chesterfield, Mass.) and Duncan Segger (Lake Placid, N.Y.)
Zack DiGregorio (Medway, Mass.) and Sean Hollander (Lake Placid, N.Y.)
Chevonne Forgan (Chelmsford, Mass.) and Sophie Kirkby (Ray Brook, N.Y.)

For more information, visit www.usaluge.org