Juniors Shine at Canadian Starts Competition
Some of Canada's young finest young lugers served notice that they are strong contenders for a berth on the 2002-2003 national luge team.At the Canadian Starts Competition, held at Canada Olympic Park earlier today, Vancouver's 19-year old Jeff Christie won the men's singles event with a total time of 10.467 seconds. Christie is celebrating his first Canadian Starts victory and a new track record.
Eighteen-year old Sam Edney, of Calgary, finished second and former Olympian Grant Albrecht, finished third.
In the women's singles event, Salt Lake City Olympian Regan Lauscher took gold, improving on last year's third place finish. Fifteen-year old Meaghan Simister and 17-year-old Amanda Byrne finished second and third.
Calgary's Grant Albrecht and Airdrie's Eric Pothier posted an 11.086-second first place time in the doubles event. Although both Pothier and Albrecht competed at the 2002 Olympic Winter Games, this is their first competition together.
The junior duos of Sam Edney/Gwyn Lewis and Marshall Saville/Winston Davis, finished second and third respectively.
This was also the first competition for three B.C. athletes who were recruited through the Vancouver 2010 "Legacies Now" program. Aaron Christensen, Noah Wesche and Brendan Hauptman will be joining the Canadian Luge Association/Olympic Luge Training Centre development group, helping to ensure a strong future for luge in Canada.
Source: Jennifer Pashniak, CLA
Information: Tim Farstad, CLA-OLTC (403) 616-1397 or gsnefgnq@pbqn.no.pn