Embyr-Lee Susko defended her Canadian Luge Championship titles at the Whistler Sliding Centre (WSC) on March 9 to cap off a breakthrough season.
The Whistlerite cemented her spot as the top feet-first slider in the nation with a time of 1:19.240 amidst wet and warm conditions. Kailey Allan, who has been juggling luge and university studies as of late, took silver (1:19.460). Midori Holland wrapped up her last junior campaign with bronze (1:19.468), joining fellow local Susko on the podium.
“It was really fun to keep the streak alive,” Susko said. “It means a lot to do it on home soil with my parents here to support me, and it's just been a super fun and incredible season.”
Susko made her name in the international luge community earlier this year by winning three straight Junior World Cup races. She carried that momentum into her World Cup debut in Whistler by finishing ninth.
The 18-year-old went on to produce steady results on the elite circuit and a silver medal at the Junior World Championships. She found herself second in overall junior women’s singles rankings, third overall in junior doubles with Beattie Podulsky, and was part of Team Canada’s third-place result in team relay standings.
Susko and Podulsky are not a doubles pair at the moment, but their time together was a key learning experience for both.
“It was such an incredible opportunity to get to work with Beattie and learn a different style of sliding,” remarked Susko. “And it's so incredible that they're making more space for women in the sport of luge, [as this was the first season that ladies’ doubles became an official discipline.]”
On March 8, Susko also repeated as junior national champion (1:18.457) ahead of runner-up Holland (1:18.890) and Allan in third (1:18.976).
Results roundup
Dylan Morse was crowned Canadian champ in both men’s events. The 19-year-old registered a time of 1:44.351 in the senior race and completed his two junior attempts in 1:43.493.
“I put down two consistent runs. The big focus for me was to have consistent runs as much as I can, so this was a symbolic end to the season,” said Morse in a press release. “I’m looking forward to building my start, getting some muscle on and coming back stronger next year.”
Meanwhile, Maya Yuen and Bastian van Wouw won gold medals in the final Youth A Continental Cup races of the year.
16-year-old Yuen rocketed to top times in both blasts down the 11-corner track (1:25.060). Silver went to Kaia Hatton, who trains in Whistler but repped Great Britain at the 2024 Gangwon Youth Olympics in January (1:25.568). Allie Spence brought a bronze medal home to Squamish (1:26.693).
Yuen also linked up with Podulsky to win the open doubles race (1:52.029).
“I had two really good runs after a rough week. I proved to myself that I could do this today, so I was really proud of myself. It was a great opportunity to be sliding,” said Yuen in a release. The Calgarian was 11th in Gangwon.
For his part, 17-year-old van Wouw followed up his eighth-place Youth Olympic effort with a home-ice victory (1:22.214).
The slider from Squamish
While she’s a ways out from pushing Susko at the highest levels of Canadian luge, Spence has enjoyed a milestone campaign of her own. Her hard work paid off in the form of some new hardware: silver medals at both youth nationals and the BC Championships in addition to her Continental Cup bronze.
“I am beyond happy to have gotten third in the Whistler Youth A Continental Cup this season,” said Spence. “This was my first ever Continental Cup race, so I am so stoked that I was able to put together two decent runs to get me onto the podium. It was also just so wonderful, getting to see my family and hearing just how loud they were.
“Hopping off my sled after going 120 kilometres/hour and seeing all of my teammates, my teammates' families and my own family all cheering for me at the finish was a very validating experience, especially knowing that the people who I have been sliding with for four-plus years believe in my sliding potential.”
Earlier this season, the 15-year-old added key overseas experience to her resume in Winterberg, Germany and Park City, Utah. She names the Park City trip as a high point, enabling her to bond with teammates and her mom Stacey without the added pressure of competition. In the process, she became acquainted with a track that she will very likely race on later in her career.
That said, there’s no ice like home ice.
“I loved having the results that I had in Whistler,” Spence said. “Having the advantage of being able to train almost every day this winter definitely helped me with my confidence heading into the competition. A highlight was celebrating with my friends and family in person, in my hometown and not over another track's live stream.”
