Tucker West, US Olympic Luge Competitor: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know

Olymp

Instagram Luge athlete Tucker West.

Tucker West is back for his second go-around at the 2018 Winter Olympic Games. The 22-year-old hails from Ridgefield, Connecticut, and will be competing in the luge, which is considered the fastest sport in the Winter Olympics.

Here’s what you should know about Tucker.


1. At Age 18 He Became the Youngest Male to Ever Qualify for USA for Men’s Luge at the Olympics

In late 2013, Tucker West became the youngest male to ever qualify for a US Olympic luge squad at the Sochi Games.

At the time, West was an honor student at National Sports Academy High in Lake Placid, New York.

Tucker attended Union College and was recently interviewed by his alma mater. He said, “It gives me goosebumps to think that I am an Olympian… But it really doesn’t hit you until the opening ceremonies. That will be a great, surreal moment.”

This Olympics, Tucker will make four runs: two will take place Saturday, and two on Sunday.


2. His Father Encouraged Girls to Reach out to His “Shy” and “Very Single” Son Before the 2014 Olympics

In 2014, Tucker’s father appeared on NBC’s Today to talk about his son. He also tried to get him a date.

Speaking to Lester Holt, Brett West, Tucker’s father, said that his son was “a little shy”. He added on, “to all the young ladies out there, Tucker is very single.”

That’s when Tucker’s phone started blowing up. About 20 minutes before his first race in Sochi, he texted his father, “Dad, what did you say on the ‘Today Show?'”. Luckily, it’s become one of the family’s biggest jokes. Brett tells the Hartford Courant, “I was overwhelmed and couldn’t read them all. It’s still the biggest joke in the family… He was a good sport about it.”

Based on his Instagram, it seems that West is no longer in need of any help in the romantic department. His Instagram suggests he’s in a relationship with fellow luger Raychel Germaine. According to NBC, West met Raychel when he was just 13.


3. His Father Helped Him Build a Luge in His Backyard as a Young Boy

West’s family has always been into the Olympics. He tells Times Union, “Our lives stop for two weeks when the Olympics are on… We don’t watch the NBA or the NFL, but we are big fans of the Olympics.”

When Tucker was just 6, his father helped his son pursue his burgeoning interest in luge by building him a wooden luge track in their backyard. Today, it extends about 800 feet. “I was always kind of a speed demon when I was a kid,” Tucker tells Times Union. “Sledding wasn’t fast enough; I thought luge was really cool.”

Brett tells Times Union, “Going to the first Olympics with him was the highlight of our lives… Getting there was the prize. This time, we know he is in the mix. It’s not just exciting to be going to the Olympics, it’s nerve-racking. I don’t know how I am going to be able to stand it.”


4. He Finished 22nd Overall in Men’s Single at the Sochi Olympics

Tucker West, Olympics Tucker West

PYEONGCHANG-GUN, SOUTH KOREA – FEBRUARY 10: Tucker West of the United States slides during the Men’s Singles Luge on day one of the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at Olympic Sliding Centre on February 10, 2018 in Pyeongchang-gun, South Korea.

At the last winter Olympics, West finished 22nd overall in the men’s single. According to The Hartford Courant, he has been “accumulating valuable experiences” since those Olympics, including a bronze in the 2017 Lake Placid World Cup.

West was in 26th place (out of 40 competitors) after his first turn on Saturday. Unfortunately, he was eliminated from medal contention even after a better second run. USA Today reports him as saying after the run, “I’m certainly disappointed, for sure… There’s a lot of work that went into this. It’s a very disappointing result for the first run. But you’ve got to keep your head up. It’s a four-run race and there’s definitely ground to be made up.”

Times from each of the four runs are combined to determine which athletes receive medals.


5. He Had the Fastest Start Time During a World Cup Race in 2017

Tucker West, Tucker West Olympics

Tucker West of the United States completes his second run in the Men’s competition of the Viessmann FIL Luge World Cup at Lake Placid Olympic Center on December 15, 2017 in Lake Placid, New York.

West had the fastest start time during a 2017 World Cup Race. He also had the fastest start (2.545) in his first run at the Winter Games this Saturday.

His teammate, Chris Mazdzer, who enters Sunday’s competition in fourth place, spoke to NBC about West’s improvement, saying, “He is much better than he was four years ago… His start is better, he has more experience, he makes better decisions down the track and he has a little more understanding of the sled.”

Fun fact about Tucker? According to NBC New York, he’s known for “Fast starts in races and a lucky pair of underwear and socks.”