If luge teams had captains, Justin Snith and Tristan Walker would be the frontrunners with the letter “C” for Canada. The retirement of Sam Edney and Alex Gough has elevated the duo, Snith and Walker, as key sliders on Canada’s senior team, boasting 20 years of collective experience.
The World Cup event held in Calgary showcased Walker’s view that the dynamics have shifted with their strategic planning after learning about Edney and Gough’s retirement. This prompted them to step up as team leaders.
Calgary locals recall Edney and Gough’s silver medal win in the Olympic relay in Pyeongchang last February. Additionally, Kim McRae, a veteran slider of over eight years with the team and over 21 years of age, is balancing racing commitments with nursing studies.
Effective leadership is crucial for team success. All team members rely on their leaders. According to Wolfgang Staudinger, Tobias Arlt and Tobias Wendl, the reigning Olympic champions, secured their first gold of the season, surpassing their teammates Sascha Benecken and Toni Eggert. Meanwhile, bronze medalist and World Cup leader Lorenz Koller of Austria claimed third place. Wendl acknowledged a subpar first run but commended the team’s improvement in the second run.
