NEW ZEALAND OLYMPIC ASSOCIATION INC PO Box 1461 Hamilton 3240 New Zealand

www.lugenz.com Phone: 07 856 4554 (home) or 0274 958 923 Email: [email protected]

FEBRUARY 2011 NEWSLETTER

The boys are back in town Andrew Scott, Josh Steele, Matheson Hill and Tyler Cathro-Carson, along with manager Jock Scott are home from their two weeks of training in Whistler/Canada (more below). Coach Guntis Rekis has flown on to Lake Placid/USA to spend two weeks with the Australian Team.

Website Paul Gilbert has given our website a refresh including adding in the competition results for the first three years of the Naseby Ice Adventure Park Luge Track. They can be viewed at the following link www.lugenz.com/raceresults.htm. Shortly he will load up all the back issues of our newsletters and more photos from last season. Thanks Paul!

Executive Committee Meeting Firstly when reporting on December’s AGM in the last newsletter I forgot to note and record thanks to Stewart Francis who also stood down from the Executive at the AGM. Thanks Stewart for all your input since 2003!

The first Committee meeting will be held in Naseby over the weekend of 12/13 March. Business will include: Review of Whistler trip Preparation for 2011 season Work programme Feasibility of luge in the 2011 NZ Winter Games 2011/12 international plans

New Zealand Luge Team to Whistler/Canada (See also www.lugenz.com/apps/blog) Our team of Tyler Cathro-Carson, age 17 of Timaru, Matheson Hill, age 15 of Dunedin, Andrew Scott, age 14 of Kyeburn, Maniototo and Josh Steele, age 14 also of Kyeburn, accompanied by Coach Guntis Rekis and Manager Jock Scott are back from two weeks of training on the Whistler Luge Track, site of the 2010 Olympic Winter Games.

The team had 8 days of sliding and 50 runs each. They spent the first part of their time going from the Maple Leaf start (curve 11 on the 16 curve, 1,374 metre long track) and then progressed up to the Novice start at curve 6. When not sliding Guntis had the them doing other training and fitness sessions but they also got to do some sightseeing both around Whistler and to .

For the record, and to give you an idea of the successful step up the boys made from the Naseby Track and its top speed of around 60kph, the boys each attained maximum speeds of: Tyler (124kph), Matheson (121.5kph), Josh (118.5kph) & Andrew (112.6kph). Guntis says they all luged really well, testament to both themselves and the Naseby Track. 1

Jock, Josh, Andrew, Tyler, Matheson & Guntis at Dunedin Airport

Andrew, Tyler, Josh & Matheson ready to slide – thanks Luge Canada for the sleds!

This training gave the boys the opportunity to take their luge to the next level and learn techniques they can bring back to Naseby. They are also now ready to progress further (e.g. Junior World Cup competitions) if that is what they choose to do. This trip has been an important step for the development of the Naseby luge programme and we plan to repeat it next year. It really does show what opportunities there are for our luge athletes.

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Josh, Matheson, Tyler & Andrew. Thanks to the FIL, Adidas for the booties, Uvex for the helmets and Latvia for the suits!

Andrew, Matheson, Tyler, Josh & Guntis above Whistler

The trip was made possible because of huge support from the FIL, families and friends (an amazing job of fund raising!), Luge Canada, the team at the , Uvex, Adidas and Latvia Luge. Thanks also to Jock (Manager) and Guntis (Coach) for taking such good care of the boys while they were away. On behalf of NZ Olympic Luge and the team, thanks to everyone who has contributed to this wonderful experience.

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2011 Luge World Championships Both the Artificial (Olympic) Track (held on the 2006 Olympic Track in Cesana, ) and Natural Track (held on the Umhausen track in ) World Championships for 2011 have been decided with the results below. The World Cup Series for each continue and I will report on the final outcomes in the next newsletter.

Artificial (Olympic) Track – Men (Held every year except Olympic year) Six years after having won his 5th World Championship title, Italy’s Armin Zoeggeler has again climbed the “luge throne”. The two-time Olympic Champion won his sixth World Championship gold medal and the 37-year remained undefeated on his favourite home track. In addition to his 6th World Championship title Zoeggeler also won the 2006 Olympic title, became European Champion in 2008 and has celebrated 4 World Cup victories on the track. ’s Felix Loch won silver and his compatriot Andi Langenhan bronze.

Armin Zoeggeler (Italy) – Gold Medallist

Artificial (Olympic) Track – Women Germany’s Tatjana Huefner, the 2010 Olympic Champion and World Champion in 2007 and 2008, won her 3rd World Championship title. Compatriot took silver with Alex Gough of Canada bronze. It was the 1st World Championship medal for Canada in the women’s singles. 27-year old Huefner took the bronze medal on the same track at the 2006 Olympic Winter Games.

Apologies to Erin Hamlin and the USLA. In the last newsletter I incorrectly stated that Natalie Geisenberger was the reigning World Champion when in fact it was Erin Hamlin, who won on her home Lake Placid track in 2009. Natalie was a member of the German team who won the Teams’ Competition in 2009. Sorry for the mix up. 4

Tatjana Huefner (Germany) – Gold Medallist

Artificial (Olympic) Track – Doubles Austria’s 2006 and 2010 Olympic Champions Andreas & Wolfgang Linger won their 2nd World Championship title. The 2003 Champions defeated Italy’s Christian Oberstolz & Patrick Guber with 2010 Olympic runners-up Andris Sics & Juris Sics of Latvia in 3rd.

Andreas & Wolfgang Linger (Austria) – Gold Medallists

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Natural Track – Men (Held every second year) Local hero (Austria) won the World title from teammate Robert Batkowski (2003 World Champion) and defending champion Patrick Pigneter of Italy. The result was really close with Kammerlander leading after the 1st run, Pigneter after the 2nd run and Kammerlander having to go full out in the 3rd run if he wanted to keep his chances for a 1st World Championship title alive. Canada’s Greg Jones, resident Naseby coach in 2009, finished 22nd in the 47 man field.

Robert Batkowski (Austria) - Silver Medallist

Natural Track – Women Reigning World Champion Renate Gietl of Italy was able to defend her title from World Cup leader Ekatharina Lavrentjeva of Russia. Melanie Schwarz of Italy, making her comeback after serious injury in 2009, surprisingly won the bronze medal.

Melanie Schwarz (Italy) – Bronze Medallist 6

Natural Track – Doubles Russian doubles Pavel Porshnev and Ivan Lazarev won their 3rd World title after also being Champions in 2005 and 2007. Defending Champions Patrick Pigneter and of Italy were 2nd. Andrzej Laszczak and Damian Waniczek of Poland were 3rd to bring their tally of World Championships bronze medals to 4 (2000, 2005, 2007 & 2011).

Pavel Porshnev and Ivan Lazarev (Russia) - Gold Medallists

2011 New Zealand Luge Programme (subject to change) Track opens Saturday 28 May Queen’s Birthday weekend Saturday 4 & Sunday 5 June (mini camp - Tbc) Naseby Cup 1 Saturday 18 & Sunday 19 June Naseby Ice Festival Saturday 9 July (Tbc) Naseby Cup 2 Saturday 16 /17 July Camps (beginner and advanced) Monday 18 to Friday 22 July (1st week school hols) Naseby Cup 3 Saturday 23 July New Zealand Championships Sunday 24 July Luge Australia in Naseby Monday 8 to Friday 12 August Oceania Championships Saturday 13 August New Zealand Winter Games Sunday 14 August (Tbc) Track closes Sunday 28 August (weather permitting)

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Links If you want to catch up on what is happening in the luge world go to: www.lugenz.com NZ Olympic Luge www.lugenz.com/raceresults.htm Naseby Luge race results www.fil-luge.org International Luge Federation www.usaluge.org USA Luge www.luge.ca Canada Luge www.olympic.org.nz NZ Olympic Committee www.innsbruck2012.com Innsbruck 2012 Winter Youth www.sochi2014.com 2014 Olympic Winter Games

Our funders, sponsors, suppliers and supporters Ernslaw One Naseby Lumber Southern Victorian Trust International Luge Federation Southern Trust Community Trust of Otago Caversham Foundation Larchview Holiday Park Transdiesel Ltd Lions Club of Maniototo Ring Farm Naseby Trail Lodge Great Southern Ranfurly Kim Vowles Fencing Maniototo Community Trust NZ Olympic Committee Gilbert Family Maniototo Paint and Hardware Jock Scott/Kyeburn Downs Wardy’s Woodworks The Lodge and Cottages Wedderburn DS Hazlett & Son Ltd Trifour Technics Ltd (Uvex Helmets) Glenrowan Herefords (Greer Farms P/s) Torggler Sleds Realcold Milmech Ltd (Graham Baker) Ski Industries Ltd Laurie Inder Johnny Girvan McNeill Drilling/Pumping CRT Graham Electrical Burn 729 AM Gavin Smith Malcam Trust CJ Sinclair Automotive The Old Doctor’s Residence Titan Plant Services Ltd Balme Family & Lindsay Family Roy Moore Maniototo Curling International Bill & Sylvia Carson Alfred Jud, Italy Josef Ploner, Italy

Catch you soon.

Geoff Balme, President New Zealand Olympic Luge Association Inc

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