By SARI ZEIDLER
The race took place on Whistler Track, one of the fastest and most difficult tracks in the world, where the 2010 Winter Olympic Luge competition will be held.
Her achievement was preceded by a placement of 16 out of 36 in the Calgary World Cup on Feb. 13, a race described as the penultimate in a series of nine races leading to the Olympics.
She also placed 14 out of 32 racers in the Women's Luge World Championship in Lake Placid on Feb. 6, where she was part of an historic American victory that broke a 99-year winning streak for Germany.
At age 20, this is Young's first year competing at the senior level, but much of her childhood has been dedicated to practicing the winter sport. Last year she was ranked third in the world at the junior level, winning the bronze medal in the Junior World Cup. As a senior, she races alongside former Olympians like Erin Hamlin, 22, of Remsen, N.Y., who won the 2009 World Championship.
"She beat a lot of competitors that are much older than her, much better than her, and much more experienced than her," her father, Bob Young, said proudly of his daughter's performance.
Stacey, as she is commonly known, first tried luge 11 years ago at Lake Placid and was chosen to join a special winter training camp. She has since raced competitively and is attempting to make the 2010 American Olympic team.
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