Page 19 - QARANC Vol 14 No 6 2013

After two seasons of sliding I was selected to train at the Federation of International Luge (FIL) training camp, with the hope of being selected to slide for the GB Luge team. Here’s my story so far...
Season One – 2010/11
In December 2010 I attended the novice Army ice sports camp (Ex Racing Ice 1) which was held near Innsbruck, Austria at the 1964 Olympic track in Igls. I was armed with cut up roll mat for protection and told to lie on the sled, shoulders back, feet up and RELAX, this was harder said than done. Less than one minute later I was at the end of the track, with the biggest adrenaline rush ever. Ex Racing Ice 1 was intense and although we didn’t get many runs per day at the end of a training session you are physically and mentally exhausted. At the end of the week I was asked to return to compete in the Army Championships, held in Konigssee, Germany, Feb 2011. Following the Army Championships I was selected to represent the Army at the Inter-services ice sports championships, again held in Koinigssee, March 2012. At the end of my first season and after only four weeks on Ice I won the Inter-services championships and was hooked on this crazy ice sport.
Season Two – 2011/12
I returned back to the ice for my second season, would this one be as good as the first? Or was it just beginners luck? Army Champs kicked off in February 2012, where I placed 2nd in the Ladies competition and I won Junior title. I was once again selected to represent the Army at the Inter- services championships in March 2012, there was tough competition with the other teams / sliders but I held my nerve and performed consistently and was crowned Inter-services Champion for the second year running. The season finished with the British Championships, with two good runs and a personal best on my final slide of the season I secured second place, losing out on first place by a tiny 0.3 seconds.
Season Three – 2012/13
And that brings us to this season... Based on my performance over the two previous years I was selected by the GB Luge Association to train with the FIL. The training camp consisted of three weeks sliding with lugers from all over the world. It was an intense few weeks, with the tempo of the training much higher that I had previously experienced. We were training on and off the track and fitting start training in the middle of it all. The first week was held in Koinigssee where I had previously slid before; the track offered new challenges though as I had to move higher up to slide from, Ladies start (I had previously only slid from junior start with the Army). Following Konigssee I travelled to Winterberg, Germany to try my luck on a track that I had never slid before. Throughout the week my skills and confidence grew. I progressed higher and higher up the track and by the end of the week I was consistently sliding clean runs from the top of the track. The opportunity arose to travel with the FIL to Sochii, Russia, to train on the Winter Olympic 2014 track. However sadly we were unable to go as funding and visas could not be secured.
So what does the future hold?... Based on my performance on the FIL training camp I have been selected to represent Great Britain at the Winterberg World Cup in January, this will be my debut International race. I am attending a training week prior, were each competitor has only six runs in which to reach the qualifying time for the race. Following the Winterberg World Cup I will be racing in the Army, Inter- services and GB Championships where I hope to continue with my winning streak.
Thanks to all the help from MDHU(Northallerton) and Queens Alexander’s Royal Army Nursing Corps I am able to pursuit a sport that I love and represent my Unit, Corps, Army, Armed Forces and my Country at the highest level. I hope next season will be even better than the previous, with more training, experience on new tracks and International races. My aim is to qualify for the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea.
If anyone would like to try this crazy, fast, adrenaline filled, extreme sport then luge is for you. Exercise Racing Ice 1 is held annually and no experience is necessary.
For further information contact Mr G Holmes (RLC) on luge@awsa.org.uk.
I would like to thank the QA association for a financial contribution towards my training camp
Cpl Danni Scott
MDHU N
THE GAZETTE QARANC 17
Cpl Scott – Luge so far...