Luge Sliders to Compete in World Cup, Utah Olympic Park

Luge Sliders to Compete in World Cup, Utah Olympic Park


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Shelley Osterloh Reporting The world's fastest luge sliders are in Park City competing in a World Cup event at the Utah Olympic Park.

It was more than ten years ago when Preston Griffall, Olympic slider and Utah native, first heard about luge and thought it would fun to try.

Now he and partner Dan Joye travel the world competing against the best.

They finished 8th at the Torino Olympics.

While in town for the World Cup, Griffall stopped into the La Caille Restaurant to visit with top convention and meeting planners -- who are being hosted by the Salt Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Luge Sliders to Compete in World Cup, Utah Olympic Park

Mark White, V.P. Sales of Utah Visitors & Convention Bureau: "His youth and his vitality is fun, it's exciting and it ties back to our olympic legacy, which is something unique to Salt Lake, so we love to have him be part of these things."

The 2006 olympic team member helmets are very important, they are made out of kevlar.

The convention and Visitors Bureau helps fund some of Griffall's training expenses through a program called Adopt an Athlete.

Each convention visitor spending about 900 dollars in Utah adds up to big money.

As for Griffall, he says now with the pressure of the Olympics behind him, he is ready to push the limits on speed.

Preston Griffall, Luge Doubles Slider: "If you win or you are in the top three that's great, but when you are letting it all go there is a lot more possibility that you are going to make some mistakes or crash, but that's the chance you take and sometimes that's what you have to do to understand what you are capable of doing."

And he has a season of World Cup events to find out.

Preston is competing right now in the World Cup Doubles event with his partner Dan Joye.

The World Cup competition continues tomorrow at the Utah Olympic Park with women racing at 10 a.m. and men at 12:30 in the afternoon.

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