Left to right: Chris Mazdzer (Silver), Felix Loch (Gold), Dominik Fischnaller (Bronze) after the December 6th World Cup men’s singles luge at Whistler, B.C. Mazdzer finished in second place. (Picture courtesy of International Luge Federation.)
Chris Mazdzer, a luge sled racer from Saranac Lake, secured his place on the US team for the Winter Olympics in Sochi Russia that open in February while competing in Winterberg, Germany at the end of November. I was able to ask Mr. Mazdzer some questions after he finished in second place on December 6th at the World Cup men’s singles luge at Whistler, B.C.
Mazdzer, who hails from Saranac Lake, should be back in the North Country for the holidays. The USA Olympic luge team nominees were recently announced but Mazdzer’s top finishes in World Cup races guarantee him a spot on the team. He will use two World Cup races in North America in December and four in Europe in January as a warm-up for his second Olympic games. Mazdzer is a veteran of the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics, where he finished 13th.
Below is my interview with him.
How do you feel knowing that you’ve secured a place on the 2014 Olympic Team?
Knowing that I have already guaranteed a spot on the 2014 Olympic Team was an incredible sense of relief. The sport of luge is timed to the thousandth of a second and most race fields are within a second of the leader. There are variables that can happen and situations that can arise when sliding down a mile long ice track that can easily drop an athlete back towards the back of the field. Securing a spot on the team has allowed me to focus more on the process as opposed to the result. I can now think “how can this track help me prepare for Sochi” as opposed to concentrating specifically on that track.
As you wrap up the World Cup events before the Olympics, what are your goals?
My specific goal for the World Cups leading up to the Olympics is to be ranked in the top 12 athletes. During the Olympics the top ranked 12 athletes will go first in the order and this is a significant advantage. If there is any kind of precipitation or warm weather the first athletes will have the fastest ice and an overall advantage.
What goes through your head while competing?
I would have to say that there are three components to this question. First, about 10 to 15 minutes before the actual run I am constantly doing pre-run visualizations and going over exactly what I am going to do. I find that during this step I am nervous, excited and sometimes feel uncertain as to what exactly is going to happen. Second, about 2 minutes before I go down I clear my head and try not to concentrate on the run because when going down the track everything happens so fast that if you are thinking you may be reacting too slow. Finally, when going down the track I am focused 100% on every little detail that is happening, I am just trying to let my instincts take over and focus on keeping good position and reacting to how the sled feels underneath me. In total, I find that I try to build myself up so I can feel the adrenaline kicking through my body, focus on exactly what I have to do and then try let everything go and be in the moment.
What will be unique for you about the Sochi Olympics?
The Sochi Olympics will be unique for me in the sense that this time I will be the highest ranked US Luge athlete competing. In Vancouver I had two experienced teammates that helped guide me through the process and take the pressure off. The role has been reversed this time around and I will be the experienced athlete at the Olympics for luge.
Any words for you Adirondack fans?
I first want to thank everyone who has supported me over the years and also want to tell everyone to go out and enjoy the Winter. The Adirondack’s are one of the only places in the country the breathes Winter Olympic Sports and I want to encourage every child and adult to go out into the winter and have fun !!!
Chris, I can safely say that we’ll be rooting for you in the 2014 Olympics!