Parkite lugers are building momentum into the World Cup season – Park Record

Parkite and other U.S. lugers braved the snowy conditions this past week at the Utah Olympic Park’s track to compete in the national championships. 

Many used the home track conditions to their advantages, landing titles and U.S. team spots based on their finishes. There were men’s and women’s singles and doubles competitions with runs Sunday and Tuesday. 

Parkite Ashley Farquharson took home first place in the women’s singles event, her second national title. Emma Erickson and Matt Greiner saw their respective fourth- and fifth-place finishes land them spots on their respective national teams. All three lugers are from Park City. 

The nine-event World Cup season kicks off Dec. 1 in Lillehammer, Norway. All three Parkites believe their success at nationals will roll over into the start of the season. 

“It was my first time in quite a few years that I actually felt competitive at nationals, so it was really fun,” said Farquharson. “It makes for really good racing having it be in Park City where my friends and family could come watch.”

Farquharson was a 2022 Olympian, competing in both the women’s singles and team relay events. 

Farquharson said the weather didn’t bother her, as she’s always prepared in the outdoor sport. She feels getting race-ready before Cup season is vital to hitting the ground running next month. There are three European Cups before the sport’s holiday break. 

Farquharson will just hope to do her best this season. She believes if she’s hyper-focused and putting down her best runs, the rest will work itself out. 

Erickson was also happy to race at home, alongside Farquharson, who serves as a role model for her and Greiner. She compared the team to a family, and Farquharson has had possibly the most success amongst the group. 

“I’m very excited,” Erickson added. “I want to keep learning, talking to coaches and teammates, learning how to put the sled down fast, and be relaxed and have a good time.”

Erickson thinks the boost from the junior national team will help propel her in luge. The three have the 2026 Milan Games on their minds. 

“It’s been just a blast,” shared Greiner on making the national team. “The last week, maybe two weeks has been a whirlwind of things — going, going, going, but sliding at home is always great. … My parents got to come out for the race, my dog even came to training one day.”

The weather cooperated for most of last week’s training. Utah Olympic Park will host a cup next winter. 

Greiner acknowledged the step-up in responsibilities being on the national team now. He said a large part of being a successful luger is understanding and preparing your gear for race day. One of Greiner’s goals this season is to qualify for world championships in Whistler, where the three are current training before shipping off to Europe.

All of them live and train the majority of the time in Lake Placid, where USA Luge is headquartered. Greiner said the offseason included tons of lifting, motion-specific training and sliding. 

“We start the first week of October, and we’re traveling all around trying to get as many runs as we can on the tracks that are open,” said Farquharson. “Our weight and athletic trainers that we work with do a really good job of helping keep our bodies in shape and waiting to peak at the right time. For us, that would be world championships the first weekend of February. It’s a lot of being really in tune with your body, knowing what you can handle and when you should take a break, while also being able to push yourself, and try to get the most out of every run you take and every exercise you do.”

Greiner added the smallest details in the sport make all the differences in times. The lugers travel with sled technicians to try and perfect their setup every run. 

All three Parkites got started in the sport through the Youth Sports Alliance in town. Greiner said you just can’t match the adrenaline rush of the fast-paced sport. They recommend it to any interested kids coming up in Park City. 

“It’s such a cool way to grow up,” shared Farquharson. “Some parts about it do make it hard, like the travel … but the travel is also a huge part of my education and the way that I learned about the world. With the 2034 Olympics in Salt Lake, it’s really cool to know that someone going through the same program I did would be able to slide in that.”

To keep up with the luge circuit and the three Parkites’ results, see the International Luge Federation’s website. Another Parkite, Macey Schomaker, finished fifth in women’s singles at nationals, just missing out on making the national team. Schomaker will be on the junior team this year.

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