Maciej Kurowski leaves FIL team and becomes coach in Korea

Berchtesgaden (FIL) For three years, Maciej Kurowski was head coach of FIL Group, the international FIL World Cup team. For the 2022/23 season, the Pole will change to the coaching team of Korea and support the new head coach Wolfgang Staudinger there.

Kurowski's contract as coach of the international FIL team ended in June 2022. At his own request, the former luge athlete from Poland did not extend it: "I would like to gain more experience as a coach and therefore change. It was a very nice time with the FIL team and I wish my athletes many successes and all the best for the future. I will not be out of the world and will stay with the luge family".

The 36-year-old from Jelenia Góra was an active luge athlete from 2000 until the 2018/2019 season and then joined the FIL team as head coach, which consists of international athletes.

"Maciej did a great job during his three years with FIL Group 1 (General Class) and will be greatly missed. He and assistant coach Yuriy Hayduk worked well together and brought a positive coaching environment to the team," said FIL Development Programme Director Fred Zimny (USA).

In the years leading up to the Beijing Winter Olympics, Maciej and Yuriy worked with athletes from 15 different nations. At the Olympic Winter Games in Beijing 2022, Kurowski, together with his co-trainer Yuri Hayduk from Ukraine, coached ten athletes from eight different nations.
The past two winters brought special challenges in the work for FIL Group 1. The World Cups and International Championships took place during the Covid-19 pandemic. By adhering to all necessary protocols, the coaching staff was able to get all participating international athletes through the seasons safe and healthy.

The FIL supports talented lugers from nations that cannot afford their own coach for the entire season with the FIL team.

Fred Zimny explained: "With the introduction of the Youth A Continental Cup in the 2022/23 season, the FIL has a very solid coaching staff to support developing countries that have neither their own coaches nor a home track. Although it will be a challenge to have three separate race series (World Cup, Junior World Cup and Continental Cup), the FIL will continue to make all its resources available to strengthen the sport worldwide."

Korea's head coach Wolfgang Staudinger is pleased about the new addition to his coaching team: "Maciej Kurowski will support us as coach from September. We will both be with the team in Korea at the same time. I am glad that he has decided to do this. He is a super coach, I have observed his work closely over the last few years and I am very much looking forward to working with Maciej".