High hopes for NZ luge

Latvian luge coach Guntis Rekis, who will be coaching at the Naseby luge track this winter, is optimistic New Zealand will eventually be represented in the luge event at the Winter Olympics.

Mr Rekis, who has been to four Winter Olympics, has 24 years' luge experience, taking up the sport as an 11-year-old.

Naseby's natural-ice track was a good introduction to the Olympic version of the sport, he said. Luge was usually raced on artificial tracks at much higher speeds.

However, he said the Naseby track still provided plenty of excitement.

Mr Rekis is running a luge training camp in the July school holidays, for 8- to 20-year-olds.

Naseby's ice luge is to open today.