 |
DIARY: REGAN LAUSCHER: THE ROAD TO TURINMeet Canada's 2004-05 team
CBC Sports Online | Nov. 17, 2004 |
DOUBLES
Grant Albrecht (team of Albrecht/Pothier)
One of the team's Olympic veterans, Grant launched his luge career
in 1994 after speed skating didn't prove quite fast enough. Grant
competes in the doubles event as the driver or "top man."
The 23-year-old Red Deer, Alta. native had a respectable 12th-place
showing in the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics with partner Mike Moffat.
After Moffat's retirement, Grant partnered with teammate Eric Pothier
and the pair has since achieved two fourth-place finishes in World
Cup competition and hope to contend for the podium in 2006.
Eric Pothier (team of Albrecht/Pothier)
The oldest member of the team, 25-year-old Eric began his sliding
career 15 years ago. He made his Olympic debut in 2002 in Salt Lake
City where he finished fifth in the doubles competition with partner
and driver Chris Moffat. Competing only in the doubles event, Eric
races as the bottom man with Grant.
Sam Edney (team of Edney/Lewis)
Twenty-year-old Sam Edney is the only member of the team who competes
in both the singles and doubles competition. He began his career on
a singles sled seven years ago and decided to take up the challenge
of driving a doubles team three years ago. Since then, he and partner
Gwyn Lewis boasted a seventh place showing amongst the best sliders in
the world at a World Cup in Calgary last year. The young doubles team
has already began giving teammates Albrecht and Pothier a run for their
money. In singles competition, Edney's start times are consistently
in the top 10.
Gwyn Lewis (team of Edney/Lewis)
Having only four years sliding experience under his belt, Gwyn was
catapulted to national team status in his second year sliding. The
bottom man for the doubles team Edney/Lewis, Gwyn and partner Sam
have made exponential gains on the world stage. The 18-year-old will
be vying for one of two positions on the Olympic team for 2006.
MEN
Jeff Christie
As the most experienced slider in the Canadian men's contingent, Christie
attended the 2002 Olympics as an alternate athlete. Having climbed
the ranks from junior to senior national team, Jeff is near to becoming
a consistent top-15 finisher in World Cup competition. Currently,
he is battling a bone injury in his right leg.
Ian Cockerline
Sliding now for eight years, this Calgary native has spent two years
each with the junior and senior national teams. Last season, the 21-year-old
posted personal-best finishes on the world stage with a 14th place
at home in Calgary followed by 16th in Salt Lake City and 19th at
the World Championships in Japan. Cockerline plans to compete in both
the 2006 and 2010 Olympic Games.
Jorgen Krause
A four-time Senior Canadian Champion, Jorgen Krause has been sliding
for 11 years. He has raced in a number of World Cup events but has
never spent an entire season with the senior national team. The 22-year-old
gained valuable sliding experience when he went to school, lived and
trained in Germany for a year. Jorgen hopes to secure a spot on the
team this year in the selection races and race to all-time personal
bests.
WOMEN
Regan Lauscher
Twenty-four-year-old Olympic veteran Regan Lauscher is launching into
her 10th season in the sport of speed. Lauscher, who finished 12th
in the 2002 Olympics hopes to better her Olympic result in 2006 and
finish in the top five. Hailing from Red Deer, Alta., Lauscher achieved
a personal best seventh-place finish in World Cup competition last season
at home in Calgary. She hopes to consistently finish in the top eight
this season. She is also looking forward to graduating this spring
from Mount Royal College with her degree in journalism.
Meaghan Simister
Eighteen-year-old "Meg" began sliding in 1999 after luge was suggested
to her by family friends. Simister spent three years on the junior
national team before moving up to senior rank at age 16. She raced
to a personal-best finish in Germany last year where she placed 11th
in competition. That same race, Simister became one of few athletes
to beat a German woman at the start by posting the fastest start time
on one of her runs.
Madison Dupius
Madison, the youngest on the team at 17-years-old, began sliding in
2000. Previously a competitive gymnast, Maddi was steered towards
luge though a recruitment camp suggested to her by her gymnastics
coach. She spent two years on the junior national team and now travels,
trains and races on the World Cup circuit. Her goal is to race and
finish in the top 15 in the Olympics in 2006.
COACHES
Walter Corey (head coach)
Whether sliding on the track himself or standing beside it coaching,
Walt has been involved with luge since 1989. An athlete himself for
nearly a decade, Walt's career was temporarily halted when he was
diagnosed with lymphatic cancer in 1995. After his successful battle
with the disease, Walt turned his energy to coaching. Now head coach
of the national and Olympic team, Walt has coached all levels of luge
starting with entry level athletes. His goals for the team this year
include top-eight finishes in all three disciplines at the World Championships
in Salt Lake City. Having the youngest, least experienced team on
the luge circuit, Walt sees the main challenge for most athletes as
the need for "a higher ratio of execution of specific skills on demand"
- in other words, being fast when it counts … on race day."
Robert Fegg (assistant head coach)
Hailing from Bertchesgaden, Germany, Robert Fegg spent eight years
sliding for the most dominant and successful luge team in the world
— Germany. Fegg experienced success in both junior and senior
ranks. After being crowned Junior World Champion in 1997, Fegg attacked
the senior luge scene to finish consistently in the top eight, his
best being a fourth-place finish in the World Championships. The 26-year-old
Bavarian continues to bring new knowledge and equipment to the Canadian
team since he joined it last year. Along with Walt, Robert hopes to
bring the Canadian team its most successful Olympic results ever.
Jason Poole (strength coach/trainer)
Jason Poole has been working with the national luge team since 1999.
He only travels with the team some of the time due to his commitment
in training women's hockey team, men's water polo and wrestling. He
works out of the Olympic Oval Training Facility in Calgary where the
luge team weight trains in the off season.
*for a more in-depth look at the athletes,
visit www.luge.ca and click on
'athletes'
|
|
|
Twenty-four-year-old Olympic veteran Regan Lauscher is launching into her 10th season in the sport of speed. The Red Deer, Alta. native, who finished 12th in the 2002 Olympics, hopes to better her Olympic result in 2006 and finish in the top five. She hopes to consistently finish in the top eight this season, and is also looking forward to graduating this spring from Mount Royal College with her degree in journalism.
DOUBLES
• Grant Albrecht &
Eric Pothier
• Sam Edney &
Gwyn Lewis
MEN
• Jeff Christie
• Ian Cockerline
• Sam Edney
• Jorgen Krause
WOMEN
• Regan Lauscher
• Meaghan Simister
• Madison Dupius
COACHES
• Walter Corey
(head coach)
• Robert Fegg
(assistant head coach)
• Jason Poole
(strength coach/trainer)
FULL TEAM BIOS
Follow Regan and her digital camera along the Road
to Turin.
CLICK
TO VIEW GALLERY
Bet you didn't know that lugers can experience G-forces in some curves
comparable to that of jet fighter pilots.
MORE LUGE FACTS
• Lauscher
luges into history with World Cup silver
• Canada's
Lauscher 7th at World Cup luge opener
Luge Primer
Everything you need to know to watch the luge like an expert
|
