Courtesy of KMS
GRACIE WEINBERG
Takes a stab at doubles luge
KILLINGTON—Killington Mountain School luge athlete Gracie Weinberg has just returned to Vermont from Park City, Utah, where she competed in Junior Nationals. Weinberg reports that she took the second place spot, thereby securing her spot on the National Team.
Once back in Lake Placid, Weinberg decided to try doubles luge, which she explains essentially has no female competitors. “You’re going against men, who are heavier and whose starts are faster, so no women every really try,” she said.
A few years ago, female luge athletes Kate Hanson and Emily Sweeney decided they wanted to be the first women’s doubles team. Weinberg and her friend Brittney Arndt were inspired by Hanson and Sweeney and wanted to give it a shot.
Weinberg explained that she was the “bottom man,” as the heavier person takes the top position. “It was such a weird experience to be on the bottom because you don’t see anything,” she laughed. “You are more like dead weight or a piece of equipment. The top man drives the sled, so you have to trust that person completely.”
She said that their first two runs were really rough, as the two hit walls and almost flipped the sled, but that their two last runs were totally clean. Weinberg says she will stick to her traditional singles luge from now on, but that she had a lot of fun taking on a new challenge. “Doubles is crazy!” she laughed.
