Park City Luge World Cup, day 1, temperature 1

A luge sled literally and figuratively on the edge at the 2022 FIL World Cup at the Utah Olympic Park in Park City. Photo: courtesy of FIL // Mareks Galinovskis/FotoMan.lv

PARK CITY, Utah — Athletes representing a dozen countries raced in the first of two days of International Luge Federation (FIL) World Cup action in Park City on Friday at the Utah Olympic Park (UOP), with speeds approaching 90 miles per hour.

RESULTS:

Men’s Doubles:

1. GER, Team Eggert/Benecken, two-run total time 1:26.789
2. AUT, Team Gatt/Schopf, two-run total time +0.033
3. GER, Team Wendl/Arlt, two-run total time +0.078

USA placed 4th and 8th.

Participating nations included: CAN, ITA, KOR, LAT, POL, SVK.

Women’s Doubles:

1. ITA, Team Votter/Oberhofer, two-run total time 1:28.302
2. GER, Degenhardt/Rosenthal, two-run total time +0.603
3. CAN, Nash/Corless, two-run total time +0.653

USA placed 4th and 7th.

Participating nations included: ROU and AUT

Men’s Singles:

1. ITA, Dominik Fischnaller, two-run total time 1:30.068
2. GER, Felix Loch, two-run total time +0.185
3. AUT, David Gleirscher, two-run total time +0.204

USA placed 4th, 8th, and 15th. Tucker West, who finished his day in 4th broke unofficial UOP track records during training earlier in the season. That fact is almost as much a testament to the skill of the UOP Track Crew as it is to the athlete’s talent, only almost.

Thursday saw podium results for not only Team USA Luge but for its Park City’s sliders.

“Two weeks ago, BMW IBSF World Cup had a successful return to Utah,” said Jeff Robbins, Utah Sports Commission President & CEO in a statement. “Now we switch gears as another Olympic governing body international event makes its appearance. It’s great to have sliding competitions back in the State of Sport.”

Former USA Luge National Team athlete, Park City’s Carl Roepke, was behind the microphone in the Control Tower calling the race. Being that Luge is always contested on the first day of the Winter Olympics, and the 2002 Olympic Games was his first of announcing nine Olympic events to date including Summer, Para, and Youth, it was somewhat of a full circle moment. 

One of 16 global artificial tracks, it was built for the Salt Lake 2002 Olympics. Women and doubles start from one location on the track and men start from another, so women slide through 12 curves on the Park City track and men 17. Every track in the world is different but for the two required engineering elements, a loop and a chicane.

A sled plus an athlete are weighed to ensure all competitors are in a same category, more weight is helpful, thus if more weight is warranted, the athlete will wear weights on their person. 

The temperature struggled to climb out of single digits.

This World Cup is free for spectators with warming tent, beer garden, hot chocolate, axe throwing, food truck, and Santa himself.

Schedule for Day 2, the final day of the event:

11:00 a.m. – 1st Run Women Single
12:30 p.m. – 2nd Run Women Single
Award Ceremony
2:00 p.m. – Sprint Men Single
Award Ceremony
2:45 p.m. – Sprint Men’s Doubles
Award Ceremony
3:15 p.m. – Sprint Women’s Doubles
Award Ceremony

Athletes representing Park City will compete on Saturday.

All photos courtesy of FIL // Mareks Galinovskis/FotoMan.lv