Britcher wins championship for the eighth time since 2015, Mueller/Haugsjaa victorious

LAKE PLACID, N.Y. – Tucker West showed no signs of slowing down tonight at the USA Luge Start Championships, taking a record 12^th title at the team’s refrigerated indoor start training facility. In the women’s competition, Summer Britcher continued her winning ways by capturing title number eight, while Junior National Team athletes Marcus Mueller and Ansel Haugsjaa captured their maiden victory.

The winning times were determined by adding two traditional starts and one reaction start together. The reaction start features a gate that randomly opens, as used in the team relay competition.

Held in late summer annually, the event serves as an informal kick-off to the luge season.

West (Lake Placid, N.Y.) is one of the best starters in the world. That strength brought him a significant margin of victory in the race, with a three-run total time of 10.73 seconds.

Hunter Harris (East Fairfield, Vt.), a National Team sophomore, was second in 11.18 seconds, edging out third place finisher and 2022 Olympian Jonny Gustafson (Massena, N.Y.) by .01. 2024 Junior World Championship silver medalist Matt Greiner (Park City, Utah) was fourth in 11.47, while Junior World Cup medalist Aidan Mueller was 5^th in 11.58 seconds. Logan Barnes (Clarksville, Tenn.) placed sixth in 11.61 seconds.

The women’s field featured another familiar face: five-time World Cup winner and three-time Olympian Summer Britcher. The Glen Rock, Pa. native also won handily, in 11.80 seconds. World Cup medalist, 2022 Olympian and reigning National Champion Ashley Farquharson (Park City, Utah) was second in 11.98 seconds. Park City resident and National Team rookie Emma Erickson was third with a time of 12.20 seconds.

Emily Sweeney (Lake Placid, N.Y.) missed the event due to a long-planned trip out of town.

The doubles event was won by Marcus Mueller (Brookfield, Wisc.) and Ansel Haugsjaa (Framingham, Mass.). The current Junior World Champions clocked in at 11.10 seconds. 2022 Olympians and Lake Placid World Cup winners Zack DiGregorio (Medway, Mass.) and Sean Hollander (Lake Placid, N.Y.) were second in 11.16 seconds. In last year’s competition, both teams logged identical times of 11.24, illustrating ago a common theme across all disciplines: the U.S. squad is faster at the start than they were one year ago.

The 2023 tie was broken in favor of DiGregorio/Hollander by virtue of the fastest single heat.

Dana Kellogg (Chesterfield, Mass.) and Frank Ike (Lititz, Pa.), silver medalists at the 2024 World Championship relay, took third in 11.34. Three-time World Championship medalists Chevonne Forgan (Chelmsford, Mass.) and Sophia Kirkby (Ray Brook, N.Y.) were the lone female entrant in the race and crossed the finish line fourth in 11.75 seconds. Junior National Team athletes Barnes and Gavin Davis (Berwick, Pa.) placed fifth in 11.97 seconds.

The National Team is scheduled to hit the ice for the first time at training sessions in Norway and Latvia early next month. The first World Cup event will take place in Lillehammer, Norway, November 30-December 1, 2024.

West takes 12th USA Luge Start Championship title

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