Luge Asian Championship begins on Nagano

Nagano, Japan, December 21, 2012: The 15th edition of the Luge Asian Championship kicked off today in Nagano, Japan. The first three of the total 6 qualifying heats saw 21 athletes participate, with the ‘A’ seeded athletes from Japan, Korea, India and Taipei. Athletes who finish within 7% of the best time will be eligible to compete in the Asian Championship finals on the 23rd of December 2012.

Japan’s Hidenari Kanayama set the benchmark time in the first heat, with lightning speed time, taking 50.213 seconds to cover the 1300 meter long track.

The second heat saw India’s Shiva Keshavan come excruciatingly close to the Asian record start time with 3.192 seconds, just two thousandths of a second off the continental record. The final time for the second run was tied between Shiva and Hidenari both clocking exactly 50.492 seconds.

Last year’s champion Shiva Keshavan then took the lead in the third run with a time of 50.661 seconds with a top speed of 127.7 kmph.

The competition is all set for a nail-biting photo finish with the top three Luge athletes coming within 15 hundredths of a second of each other.

Shiva has been training so far with his Coach and former French Olympian Yann Fricheteau. Despite suffering two partial ligament tears in his shoulder this July, Shiva seems to be reaching his form in the right moment. Shiva has been in training all year to defend his title at this year’s Asian Championship.

The other competition categories include the Women's Singles, Junior’s and Luge men's doubles. The Asian Championship is being held under the International Luge Federation - Federation Internationale de Luge de Course (FIL), the Japanese Bobsleigh, Luge and Skeleton Federation (JBLF) and the Nagano Bobsleigh, Luge and Skeleton Federation (NBLSF). 

Earlier this season, Shiva had been training to participate in the World Cup circuit, as part of his mandatory Olympic Qualifiers for the Sochi Olympic Games in Russia in 2014. Shiva has already not been able to participate in 3 World Cups during this Season’s circuit since the Government has not supported him so far during the pre-Olympic year.

“It has been a tough year as I have been waiting for more than 6 months for government funding to come through. I am glad to be representing India here at the Asian Championship and will concentrate on doing my best. There has been a lot of support from so many people in India, so I hope to show my gratitude through my performance here. A special thanks to my sponsors MTS, Coca Cola India and Olympic Gold Quest.”

The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports is currently reviewing Shiva’s case for Government funding which will be instrumental in Shiva’s participation in the winter Olympic Games in 2014.

Press release