Delaney: Utica's luge trial run a success
Returning from a beach vacation late last week, I found myself covering a winter sport: luge.
Remsen's Erin Hamlin visited her home county over the weekend, and Hamlin brought with her some friends from USA Luge. Hamlin, U.S. National Team manager Fred Zimny and four U.S. Junior National Team members were in Utica Saturday and Sunday for USA Luge's slider search program.
The slider search, in its 24th year, is the primary recruiting tool for luge - a sport that doesn't attract as much attention as other Olympic sports. Because of Hamlin, the sport has received plenty of coverage locally, including in the Observer-Dispatch. Hamlin's recent success - the World Championship victory in Lake Placid in February - made Utica ripe to be a slider search site.
Thirty-six boys and girls ages 11-14 attended the clinics Saturday and 58 young athletes was the final total after Sunday's clinics. O-D news reporter Dan Miner wrote in his story for Monday's paper the Utica events went so well USA Luge officials are considering a return next year.
"I'm very happy," Zimny told me following Saturday's clinics. "The second group (in afternoon) was smaller but we saw better quality."
One of those Saturday afternoon sliders was Katie Shelhamer of Cold Brook. I don't see luge with an educated eye like Zimny or Hamlin, but Shelhamer looked good going down the Cornelia street hill.
"It was really fun," Shelhamer said. "It felt natural."
It's too early to tell if Shelhamer's comfort level on a sled will get her invited to a screening camp later this year. She did all she could to get a call back. Shelhamer came back for a Sunday session. Zimny said the slider search has three more stops before they consider 500 athletes for 50-75 spots in the screening camp.
"We saw some kids we'll be inviting back," Zimny said. "We saw some Erin Hamlins today."
Remsen's Erin Hamlin visited her home county over the weekend, and Hamlin brought with her some friends from USA Luge. Hamlin, U.S. National Team manager Fred Zimny and four U.S. Junior National Team members were in Utica Saturday and Sunday for USA Luge's slider search program.
The slider search, in its 24th year, is the primary recruiting tool for luge - a sport that doesn't attract as much attention as other Olympic sports. Because of Hamlin, the sport has received plenty of coverage locally, including in the Observer-Dispatch. Hamlin's recent success - the World Championship victory in Lake Placid in February - made Utica ripe to be a slider search site.
Thirty-six boys and girls ages 11-14 attended the clinics Saturday and 58 young athletes was the final total after Sunday's clinics. O-D news reporter Dan Miner wrote in his story for Monday's paper the Utica events went so well USA Luge officials are considering a return next year.
"I'm very happy," Zimny told me following Saturday's clinics. "The second group (in afternoon) was smaller but we saw better quality."
One of those Saturday afternoon sliders was Katie Shelhamer of Cold Brook. I don't see luge with an educated eye like Zimny or Hamlin, but Shelhamer looked good going down the Cornelia street hill.
"It was really fun," Shelhamer said. "It felt natural."
It's too early to tell if Shelhamer's comfort level on a sled will get her invited to a screening camp later this year. She did all she could to get a call back. Shelhamer came back for a Sunday session. Zimny said the slider search has three more stops before they consider 500 athletes for 50-75 spots in the screening camp.
"We saw some kids we'll be inviting back," Zimny said. "We saw some Erin Hamlins today."
posted by Anne Delaney at
9:43 PM
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