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Cochrane luger misses Olympic podium, sets start record

Tristan Walker of Cochrane set a track start record as part of a Canadian men's luge doubles team at the 2022 Beijing Olympics.

While Cochrane's Tristan Walker and Calgarian Justin Snith did not have a medal finish in Beijing, they did set a new men's luge doubles start record at the Yanqing National Sliding Centre.

The duo clocked 7.013 seconds at the start of the track Feb. 9, the fastest of any other team, but finished seventh in mens doubles with a first run time of 58.895 seconds and second run time of 59.023, a total of 1:57.918

The Canadians drove the top of the track well and then struggled with a curve at the bottom, losing some control of the steer and shaving off precious time on both runs while travelling at speeds of around 100 km/h.

Germany took the gold and silver medal in men's luge doubles, with total times of 1:56.554 and 1:56.653 and Austria had a bronze-finish with a time of 1:57.065

Snith and Walker won a silver medal in the luge relay event in PyeongChang in 2018 and finished fourth in mens doubles at the Sochi Olympics in 2014. 

Trinity Ellis of Vancouver, Reid Watts of Whistler, B.C., and the doubles team of Snith and Walker clocked a time of 3:05.235 resulting in a sixth-place finish for Canada's relay team in Beijing the day after the doubles competition. 

Germany won gold again in the relay event,1.829 seconds ahead of the Canadians. Austria and Latvia finished second and third. 

The appearance by Walker and Snith at the Beijing Olympics marks their last after competing in the last four winter renditions. 

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