Luge athletes clad in aerodynamic attire hurtle down icy tracks, lying on their backs and controlling their sleds with their feet. They reach speeds approaching 90 mph, and winning margins can be razor thin, measured in hundredths — even thousandths — of a second. The slightest miscalculation can mean the difference between making the podium and going home empty-handed.
Since its debut in Innsbruck, Austria, in 1964, the U.S. Olympic luge team has won six medals, including three silver and three bronze. Chris Mazdzer was the last to reach the podium, claiming the silver medal in men’s singles in 2018.
Today, the U.S. unveiled the luge team it will take to the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022 next month: