Tucker West, 3-time USA Luge Olympian, announces retirement from sliding

FILE - Tucker West, of United States, slides during a luge men's run at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Saturday, Feb. 5, 2022, in the Yanqing district of Beijing. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein,File)

(ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Tucker West, who made three U.S. Olympic teams and won three World Cup luge races, formally announced his retirement from competitive sliding Thursday.

West's news was not a surprise; he said last fall that it was likely to be his final season. He didn't qualify for the team that competed at the Milan Cortina Games in February and wasn't on the list of names released by USA Luge as being part of the national team for fall 2026.

“While things may not have ended how I envisioned, I can’t help but feel grateful for the career I had,” West said in a statement released by USA Luge. “The journey wasn’t always easy, but I’m incredibly proud of what I was able to accomplish. So many people made my career possible, and I’ll never be able to thank them enough."

West got two of his World Cup singles wins on home ice in Lake Placid, New York, and the other in Whistler, Canada. He leaves the sport as the most accomplished starter in USA Luge's history, after winning 12 start championships at the team's training facility.

The story of how West got into luge made global headlines when he qualified for the 2014 Sochi Olympics as an 18-year-old. More than a decade earlier, West's father Brett built an actual luge track in the family's backyard after becoming fascinated by the sport at the 2002 Salt Lake Olympics.

That's where Tucker West learned to slide, and the rest is history. He married fellow slider Raychel Germaine in 2023.

“Luge has been part of my life for as long as I can remember,” he said. "I grew up in the USA Luge system, made friendships that will last a lifetime, and most importantly, met my wife through the sport. I’ll always be part of the USA Luge family. I’m excited for what’s next, and while I’ll be watching from the other side of the finish line now, I’ll be cheering just as loud.”