It’s a sad day for me to learn that Nodar Kumaritashvili, a Georgian luger, died today while training in Vancouver. The Georgian team announced that it might not participate in the opening ceremonies and even withdraw from the Olympics because of this incident.

My heartfelt go to Nodar’s family and team.

Send me back your mishmashed snaps: nikki@ilovealuger.com
I’ll post them here!

Moffat/Moffat wins the double’s race

Whistler (pps) Canada’s Chris Moffat/Mike Moffat won the double’s race in the Nation’s cup at the opening of the Viessmann Luge World Cup at Whistler. On the up-coming Olympic track for the Winter Games 2010 at Vancouver the brothers finished in 49,330 Seconds and got qualified for the double’s World Cup on Friday . Second place went to Harnis/Regec (SVK (+0,373 seconds) followed by Italy’s Fischnaller/Schwienbacher (+0.476).

Germany’s Steffi Sieger first Winner at “Whistler Sliding Center”

Whistler (pps) Steffi Sieger from Germany won the Nation’s cup at the Viessmann Luge World Cup at “Whistler Sliding Center”. Setting a new track record with 49.245 seconds .  Second place went to Canada’s Regan Lauscher (+0,030 seconds) followed by current World Champion Erin Hamlin from the USA, just seven thousands of a second behind Lauscher. Happy 29th birthday on Saturday!

Hi, Nikki
As Christopher Walken, patron actor of cowbells says, “more cowbell.” Here’s a youtube link to me and my bell. Sorry I can’t be in Whistler in person to ring it for the team. Louise.

Sam speaks out on the silent start for luge. He wishes it was louder!

CALGARY - Italy’s Armin Zöggeler, the man with the straightest posture, clinched his eighth career World Cup overall title in luge and Canadian coach Wolfgang Staudinger said he got caught with his pants down Saturday at Canada Olympic Park.

Zöggeler, the reigning Olympic champion, posted a two-run time of one minute 30.375 at the Viessman World Cup in Calgary.

Nicknamed “Il Cannibale” on the circuit, the 35-year-old policeman from Vollan-Lana clinched the season title with one race remaining in Whistler, B.C., next week.

“It was a good season to win five races,” Zöggeler said. “It’s not the track for me, but it’s a good day for me. I had two runs that were maybe perfect. Today I’m very happy.”

World champion Felix Loch of Germany was second in 1:30.690 and Russian Albert Demtschenko was third in 1:30.796.

Jeff Christie was the top Canadian in 17th, followed by Sam Edney in 24th, Brendan Hauptman in 26th and Ian Cockerline in 29th. All are from Calgary except Hauptman, who is part of the B.C. Sport initiative to recruit athletes within the province leading to Vancouver 2010

Staudinger, who came to the Canadian team two years ago from the German national squad, said he was fooled by the frosty conditions at the COP track when it came to setting up the men’s sleds.

“Calgary is usually a dry place where we never have frost,” Staudinger said. “Usually we have wind. In Calgary, honest to God, I’ve never seen it and I got caught with my pants down.

Christie didn’t blame his sled set-up, but Staudinger did. He felt Christie slid well enough to finish in the top 10. The last opportunity to adjust the sled is about one hour before the race.

“Jeff and Sam did a good job. Small mistakes and it’s absolutely not their fault,” Staudinger said. “It just shows how much on the edge we are working and if you don’t nail it down 100 per cent . . . it just shows it’s an outside sport and that’s to be learned from.”

Zöggeler, the Olympic champion in both 2002 and 2006, is closing in on the record of 10 overall World Cup titles held by Markus Prock of Austria. Even though COP isn’t his favourite track, he was silky smooth sliding down it.

“This is just a display of luge art,” Staudinger said. “You don’t see any motion on the sled. He’s always got the best position, the best aerodynamics and he’s got the experience to respond, especially in a race like today, he knows exactly what to do.”

Zoeggeler is a favourite to win gold on the Whistler track both next week and a year from now at the Olympic Games.

CALGARY - Canada’s Alex Gough hit another milestone in her quest for the international podium after posting her career-best World Cup result, finishing sixth on her home track in Calgary on Friday evening.

The 21-year-old Gough, who made history last week when she posted the best-ever result for a Canadian at the World Championships when she finished fourth, clocked a two-run time of one minute 35.622 seconds.

I am a little disappointed because I didn’t slide the top section very well, but of course I have to be happy because that was my best World Cup result, said Gough at the finish dock. The mantra is to have two consistent runs, and that is what I try to do every week.

The Calgarian’s breakthrough season has included six top-10 finishes. Gough’s previous best result this year on the World Cup was seventh which she accomplished twice.

I do really believe now that if I have those consistent runs that I can be in that elite group with the top-six, said Gough sporting a FOR SALE sign flashing on her race helmet, which the entire Canadian squad is wearing during the World Cup races over the next two weeks in hopes of finding a corporate partner. My starts are my biggest disadvantage, but I am now competitive and need to keep working on improving them if I want to get on the podium.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s0IuBVykf2s

Yikes. How was this rigged? (U.S.A.?)  This doesn’t just suck. It bites.

LAKE PLACID, N.Y.—Canada’s Alex Gough added another chapter to a story book season on Friday after finishing fourth at the Luge World Championships in Lake Placid, N.Y.

The 21-year-old Calgarian, who sat in fifth spot after the opening run, showed the poise of a wily veteran after putting down one of the fastest runs of the second and final heat to post the best-ever World Championship result in the history of the Canadian luge program. Gough’s clocked a two run time of 1:28.615.

“I am absolutely thrilled,” said Gough following the awards ceremony, who struggled in training this week. “I had two of my best runs of the week. I just told myself at the beginning of the day – this is sport, have fun and put it down and I did.”

Struggling to crack the top-15 on the Luge World Cup during the first three years of her career, Gough has blazed a trail to the top of the international standings this season with five top-10 finishes, including two seventh-place results.

“I have had a lot of breakthroughs that are beyond just my results by figuring out different aerodynamics and things,” said Gough. “But the key is I have gained a lot of confidence this season and now being so close to the podium, I am really hungry to get there. I’ll definitely be going for it over the next two races but I’m not getting ahead of myself and will treat them like any other race.”

Earlier this season, Gough’s head coach, Wolfgang Staudinger, compared her sliding style to the legendary German athlete, Sylke Otto. While still years younger than her World Cup opponents, Gough has been a model of consistency over the first eight races this season.

“I just feel that I’m starting to figure it out and I think it shows if we follow what Staudie (Wolfgang Staudinger) says, then we will have good results,” said Gough earlier this season. “You don’t have to be perfect, but with two consistent runs and fast starts we can slide with the best. Our team believes the Germans who have been dominant for so long are now within striking distance.”

Erin Hamlin, of the United States, proved that is definitely true. The American ended one of the longest winning streaks in competitive sports by taking the World Championship title on her home track in Lake Placid. Sitting in first after the opening run, Hamlin saved her best for last when she slid to a track record in her second run at 43.985, and a combined winning time of 1:28.098.

Heading into Friday’s race, the German women had won more than 85 consecutive World Cup, World Championship and Olympic races that began in 1997.

Natalie Geisenberger, of Germany, was forced to settle for second spot at 1:28.285, while Natalia Yakushenko, of the Ukraine, was in the bronze medal position on the podium at 1:28.334.

Two other Canadian women also suited up in the World Championships. Regan Lauscher, of Red Deer, Alta., who continues to rebuild after double-shoulder surgery earlier this year, to finish in 15th (1:29.676), while Calgary’s Meaghan Simister was 18th (1:29.813).

Earlier in the day, the world’s top doubles luge athletes also competed. Chris and Mike Moffat, of Calgary, finished as the top Canadians in 10th spot at 1:29.007.

Gerhard Plankensteiner and Oswald Haselrieder, of Italy, won the World Championship doubles title with a two-run time of 1:27.401.

The World Championships continue on Saturday with the men’s singles races.

Download our Song (MP3).
[See post to watch video]
Listen to it, over and over. Love the luge-tune! Re-mix it, mash it up, add to it … play with it. Send me back your masterpiece, and I’ll add it to the site!