Podiums for Parkites Erickson and Greiner in Jr. Luge World Cup at the UOP

Canada Luge Team van at the Utah Olympic Park for the Jr. Luge World Cup. Photo: Michele Roepke // TownLift

PARK CITY, Utah — Park City’s Emma Erickson and Matt Greiner teamed up to get second place when the Utah Olympic Park hosted a Jr. Luge World Cup over four days. Park City teenaged athletes podiumed on their home track among their German, Canadian, Ukrainian, Austrian, and Australian counterparts. Local athletes had fans on hand to see them get their medals.

The men’s and women’s singles and doubles get two runs with the lowest accumulative time grabbing the gold, except the team relay event, which has only one run.

Despite some wet weather, the ice was fast, just the way the sliders wanted it, producing speeds approximating 80 miles per hour.

RESULTS: 

Junior Singles Men:

1. Grancagnolo, GER
2. Greiner, USA 
3. Mueller, USA

Junior Singles Women:

1. Susko, CAN
2. Schwarz, AUT
3. Bratigam, GER

Junior Doubles Men:

1. Jager/Steudte, GER
2. Mueller/Haugsjaa, USA
3. Kunze/Trippner, GER

Junior Doubles Women:

1. Khytrenko/Koval, UKR
2. Susko/Pudolsky, CAN
3. Storch/Patz, GER

Team Relay: (one woman, one man, one doubles)

1. GER, (Brautigam, Leger, Jager/Steudte)
2. USA, (Erickson, Greiner, Mueller/Haugsjaa)

Park City athletes Delaney Duncan and Macey Schomaker placed 11th and 12th, respectively, in the women’s singles, with teammate Sophia Gordan coming in one spot ahead in 10th.

No country is more dominant in the Olympics in luge than Germany. The German coach in town this week told TownLift, regarding the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) announcement just 12 hours prior, that the Olympic Luge has a very good chance of being held on this track in Park City in 2034, “It’s fantastic news that the Games may return here. The Park City track is one of our favorite places to compete in the world as the track crew always makes sure the ice is in great shape, and the whole town is a super fun place to come visit.”

Park City’s Zianabeth Owen was wearing the proverbial hat of an International Luge Federation (FIL) representative. Other hats include mom of retired Jr. Luge Team athletes and wife of Park City’s USA Luge coach John Owen. 

Zianabeth Owen told TownLift, “The Utah Olympic Park is always one of the highlights of the World Cup circuit.”

John Owen told TownLift, “Local slider Matt Greiner had a good autumn. He’s learned a lot as he fluctuates between the Junior and Senior National Teams and has been training with them, which opened his eyes to the next level. We do that slowly so there’s no pressure, and young athletes get the bigger view. Then they’re like, ‘Oh, I better go back and work a little harder on certain skills.’ He’s doing great, just like he, Emma, Delaney, and Macey all have come up through Park City’s Youth Sports Alliance after-school program.”

Matt Terwillegar was working at the race on behalf of the Utah Olympic Park, something he’s done since before the Salt Lake 2002 Olympics. When asked about the breaking news from the IOC, he told TownLift, “The Jr. World Cup athletes competing here today represent the same age group who will return if we win the bid to host again in 2034, and for a lucky few, the same competitors. The Utah Olympic Legacy is thrilled to learn that these young sliders from both Park City and around the world will hopefully reap the benefits from the dedicated staff in Park City towards continued venue and programming maintenance, upgrades, and expansions all around Utah.”