First Junior World Cup
Canada's National Junior Luge team began the European leg of its pre-Christmas tour with this weekend's Junior World Cup. This was the first in a series of four Junior World Cups that will be held throughout the winter on the road to the Junior World Championship.The German juniors followed the example set by their senior counterparts, delighting the hometown crowd, by dominating the Junior I, Junior II and doubles categories.
In the Junior II Men's event, Sam Edney was the top placed Canadian, finishing in 8th place, 2.090 seconds off the gold medal time. The other three Canadians, Mike Lane, Jorgen Krause and Matt McMurray, finished 21st, 27th and 29th respectively. Germany's Andi Langenhan Junior II took the gold medal with a time of 1:35.516 minutes. Team mates Nico Oetzel and Patrick Schurer joined him on the podium.
Abbie Lovatt, Canada's only entry in the Junior II Women's event, finished 14th, with a time of 1:30.206. Germany's Anja Eberhardt won the race in a time of 1:25.541. Nicole Oliveira of the United States took the silver medal and Germany's Corinna Martini finished third.
In the Junior I Women's event, Canada's lone competitor, Meaghan Simister took 9th place, 3.581 seconds off the gold medal pace. Germany's Junior I Women followed the example set by the Junior II Men and swept the podium. Stefanie Kappen won the gold medal with a time of 1:23.831 minutes. Team mates Sindy Linke and Heike Kobylka finished second and third respectively.
Canada's doubles team of Mike McMurray and Mike Lane managed an 8th place finish, 4.362 seconds behind the gold medal time of 1:22.031 set by the American duo of Yukion Griffall and Dan Joye. Germany's Marcel Lorenz and Christian Baudf took the silver medal and were joined on the podium by bronze medalists and team mates, Franz Konig and Christian.
Source: Jennifer Pashniak, CLA
Tim Farstad, CLA-OLTC, 403-247-9884 or tfarstad@coda.ab.ca