The typically present track covers were lifted from the Utah Olympic Park sliding track on Friday for the luge World Cup. This allowed fans to pack themselves in for glimpses of the high-speed action. The world’s best lugers, many of whom these same fans will watch on TV in the Milan Olympics in a few months, skittered down the track at speeds reaching into the 90s. The first of two men’s and women’s singles runs and doubles runs, and then medal ceremonies at the park. Also, there were a few vendors and fan activities set up along one of the track’s final straights. Austrian Jonas Mueller set the fastest men’s singles time and Team USA’s Summer Britcher the fastest women’s time on their first runs. Britcher’s U.S. teammate Emily Fischnaller was just 0.004 seconds behind her, setting the team up well for Sunday’s second and final runs. In the doubles competitions, it was a German lockout of the top spots, with Toni Eggert and Florian Mueller winning the men’s competition and Dajana Eitberger and Magdalena Matschina the women’s. U.S. men’s pair Zachary Di Gregorio and Sean Hollander finished in second place. “It’s a special one,” 55-time World Cup winner Eggert said. “Because we are in our Olympic qualification (phase) on the German team and we have three strong teams, and until this race, we were behind.” Eggert said he and Mueller can’t get ahead of themselves just yet, with another U.S. World Cup coming right up in Lake Placid next week. Eggert was returning as a reigning champion in Park City, having won his last time out with a different partner. “I just have good memories here,” he said. “It’s a super nice location for me. Salt Lake or Park City are the most beautiful spots for luge at all. I really love it. The track is nice, the people are nice, and I feel really comfortable.” The Germans believed running a clean, mistake free race landed them the win. They said the track was “rough and not so easy,” as there were reports of it running faster than usual, with some crashes. Team Germany hopes it can manage the difficult track the best again on Sunday. “We just came from Germany, so you have jet lag, and do not feel really powerful,” Eggert said. “Today’s the first day I felt a little bit better.” Germany’s Dajana Eitberger and Magdalena Matschina took home the women’s doubles title on Friday night, completing the country’s sweep. Credit: Photo by Jack Singer/The Park Record Eggert’s teammate Eitberger said she and Matschina left their hearts out on the Park City track on Friday. She felt a strong week of training helped them manage the fast ice on the first competition day. “There’s a lot of pressure,” Eigberger admitted following her team’s win. “I’m one of the oldest women in the field. … The younger athletes have a lot of power.” Eitberger, an Olympic silver medalist in the 2018 PyeongChang Games, said she’s been competing in Park City since the 2013 World Cup. She still loves fighting for hundredths of a second in racing gaps out there. “I love the landscape,” she said. “Of course, the outlets, for girls, are pretty good for spending time. … I love when the whole luge circuit turns around the world and goes to America. It adds another flair.” Eitberger and her team are enjoying time at their team hotel and around town, relaxing before their races. They’ll race again on Saturday in the second singles runs and the mixed team relay race. Eitberger said she appreciated all the crowd support on Friday, even if the fans were wearing U.S. or Canadian gear and face paint. “I have had competitions where nobody was by the track,” Eitberger said. “And I love this feeling. There was great music and a livestream with the commentators. Everything was fine and it feels like there’s a big party at the track.” Jeff and Susan Green drove a little over an hour from Clinton to take in the action. They’ve been coming to the area for years for the luge World Cup, Deer Valley World Cup and other events to watch Olympic-level competition up close and for free. “This is good to see the world and different athletes,” Jeff Green said. “Cheer on the U.S. of A of course.” The Greens said they found out about all these high-level competitions following the 2002 Games. They love watching athletes from World Cup events in the area go on to win Olympic medals down the line. “We’ve seen world records broken,” added Green. “So it’s fun.” Kathy Slater flew in from Wisconsin this week to watch her nephew Marcus Mueller compete for Team USA. It was her first time watching him compete in person, and he and his teammate Ansel Haugsjaa finished in 10th place in the men’s doubles event on Friday night. “Obviously, it’s really neat,” Slater said. “It’s fun to just see all the different turns and how they all steer a little bit differently.” Slater said the camaraderie, even between competing teams, was touching to see. She was donning plenty of U.S. gear and said she’s been enjoying her time in town. “This is my first time here in Park City and it’s a great town,” she said. “There’s a lot of fun stuff to do. … It’s just a nice, cozy atmosphere.” Slater encouraged fans who didn’t make it out to the park Friday to come out Saturday. She said the viewing experience on TV doesn’t compare to seeing luge live. Slater hopes she and her family will return in 2034 to watch Mueller compete in those Olympics, as he is just 20 years old now. Below is the schedule for Saturday’s competitions at the Utah Olympic Park. Event Schedule Saturday4:15-4:50 p.m., Men’s Singles Run 25:20-5:55 p.m., Women’s Singles Run 2 Men’s Singles and Women’s Singles Ceremonies on the Finish Dock 7:00-7:52 p.m., Team Relay Team Relay Flowers Medals Ceremonies on the Finish Dock The post World Cup lugers wow crowds at Utah Olympic Park appeared first on Park Record. ...read more read less