Tucker West

Starting with a wooden track in the backyard of his Connecticut home, Tucker West has always been drawn to the sport of luge. He began sliding at a young age and developed into one of the most successful American sliders before he has even turned 20 years old. West began competing internationally by the age of 15, winning a pair of silver medals in junior national championships. He continued his success into the 2011-2012 season with a silver medal at the Junior World Cup. West kept improving and moving his way up in the sport’s ranks and in 2012 was a part of the gold medal relay team at the Youth Olympic Games. After being named co-champion at the U.S. Luge Singles, West became the youngest slider (18 years old) to ever qualify for the Olympics when he qualified for a trip to the 2014 Sochi Olympics. West finished 22nd in the men’s singles event at the Olympics but finished his 2014 season by winning the Luge World Cup for the men’s single race, becoming the first American to win the event since 1997. When he isn’t competing all over the World, West attends National Sports Academy High in Lake Placid.