If you told Embyr-Lee Susko a year ago that she'd be fourth at the Luge World Championships in her hometown, she would not have believed you at all.
Yet that's exactly where the Whistlerite placed on a brisk Friday night under the lights: just missing a medal with a two-run time of 1:17.287.
Julia Taubitz (1:17.206) and Merle Fraebel (1:17.247) snatched gold and silver for Germany, while American Emily Sweeney clinched bronze (1:17.249).
Susko didn't seem to care much about accolades, though. The onetime Junior Worlds runner-up and incumbent national champ was visibly emotional as fellow Canadian sliders embraced her warmly at the finish dock.
"Just insanity," remarked 19-year-old Susko, her eyes still glistening. "You can't even describe the feeling that it is to not drop a spot after your run and hold on. Everything was working well. I was able to put my body position, my mind and everything together, and I guess this is what happens when you put it all together on your own track.
"It really goes to show the sisterhood we have among this team, that your teammates are just as excited as you are to find success. It means more than anything. I was freaking out between runs...it's just really weird to be in basically an empty start house with people you have looked up to in the sliding community forever, and now they're starting in front of me in the second run. That's insane."
Trinity Ellis was the next fastest Canuck in 13th (1:17.653) and Caitlin Nash followed in 16th (1:17.755).
Ellis, a 2022 Beijing Olympian, still wants more out of herself. Nonetheless she'll take the positive momentum after an underwhelming few months abroad.
"The way this season has been going, this will definitely be my best result—as I would hope and expect at a home track," said the Pembertonian. "My second run was just cleaner all around: more relaxed, better lines…just small things, but it really adds up here in Whistler.
Regarding what it's like to compete in her backyard, Ellis added: "It's awesome having the support of so many people, so many connections that we have in the Sea to Sky. I have my mom, Caitlin's mom and Embyr's mom standing together out there cheering for us. Feels really good."
Canada's lugers have their sights set on the next Winter Olympics, which are now less than a year away. One thing's for certain in Susko's mind: with experience comes speed.
New benchmarks
Their course record didn't stand for long, but their victory will.
Selina Egle and Lara Michaela Kipp of Austria flew down the Whistler Sliding Centre (WSC) track in 38.858 seconds to open women's doubles action. That formerly-unprecedented time was lowered again in run no. 2 by Germans Jessica Degenhardt and Cheyenne Rosenthal, who now hold Whistler's track record at 38.806 seconds.
Egle and Kipp netted their second straight World Championships title anyway, (1:17.724), putting Degenhardt and Rosenthal into the runner-up hole (1:17.753). Clocking in for third was another team from Germany, Dajana Eitberger and Magdalena Matschina (1:17.784).
"It's unbelievable," Egle said. "We didn't expect it at all, because [Whistler] is a start track and we are not that fast to start. We were getting into the race with no high expectations, so we are speechless that we won this race today."
"First run was pretty good," added Kipp. "We had a little bit of a skid at the entrance to 14, but everything was fine. It was only small, minor mistakes, and the second run was also good."
'The fire has been fueled'
Beattie Podulsky and Kailey Allan wound up eighth (1:18.408) after a late second-run miscalculation had them sidewinding across the line. Even so, the young Canadians feel pleased with their overall effort.
"Honestly, I'm really happy with how we did," said Podulsky, who has not raced doubles from the sled's top position before this year. "This is our first World Champs, period, let alone as a team. It's awesome how we did, we laid down pretty solid runs,and that's all you can ask for."
Allan remarked: "I'll take that first run any day. It was a great run. Beginning at corner 16 [in the next run], we skidded a little bit. My foot fell off so she couldn't hold [position] as good, and that's why we had hit. Hopefully we can clean that up, make sure everything stays together for the team relay."
Luge Canada's roadmap to Milano Cortina 2026 shifted when one half of its original doubles pair, Natalie Corless, retired. Corless' former running mate Nash became a singles athlete, leaving an opening for Podulsky and Allan to unite.
Allan says that their teammates have been nothing but helpful: dishing out fist bumps, high fives and guidance throughout the day. She also voiced gratitude for Canadian fans who were boisterous in supporting the Maple Leaf.
"I'm really excited with the opportunity it presents us as a team, and I'm excited to see what we can do," Podulsky remarked. "This is our first season together and I know it's a lot more in store for us. The fire has been fueled, so we're going to come back next year with a lot more passion."
Under pressure
Germany struck men's doubles gold with two excellent jaunts down track by Hannes Orlamuender and Paul Constantin Gubitz (1:16.538) who beat their bronze medal compatriots, Tobias Wendl and Tobias Arlt (1:16.671). Sandwiched between them were Martins Bots and Roberts Plume who grabbed silver for Latvia (1:16.640).
Canada's lone tandem, Devin Wardrope and Cole Zajanski, managed 12th (1:17.298).
"World Championships itself is a huge deal, and having it at home in front of friends and families puts so much more pressure on you," said Wardrope. "But it was really fun. We enjoyed it. We had a good time, even though the results probably aren't at the spot that we wanted them. We still thought it was a really good race."
Zajanski echoed that sentiment.
"It just comes down to being able to perform under pressure, right?" he asked rhetorically. "When you're at a home World Championships, there's so much pressure coming from the media, family, friends, ourselves, so getting that experience and being able to manage it going into an Olympic year will give us the confidence we need."
Wardrope and Zajanski also felt that getting in an extra race with Thursday's mixed doubles put them in a good head space for the team relay.
Said team relay will be held on Saturday night after men's singles. View more results from Whistler at https://www.fil-luge.org/en/multimedia/53rd-fil-world-championships.
