And now for the sports news…

American Perrin Somers set a new record in the luge today, putting clear distance on her rivals in the third of her four runs on the Nant’ arctique 2010 course, open only for a short time in Nantes, France. For only 1 Euro, Perrin and others in her age bracket were offered four opportunities, referred to here in France as “descents,” to sled down this manmade, outdoor ice/sledding hill located in the shadow of the city’s impressive cathedral. There were three different tracks to try and Perrin had her record-breaking run on the one in the middle. To this reporter’s eye, there did seem to be a speed bias favoring those luge performers who chose this middle lane.

Asked afterwards about her experience on the luge course, Perrin responded that she is more accustomed to sledding on snow than ice. That did not seem to slow the American who overcame a rough start to her day, necessitating a trip to the pharmacy for medicine to combat a winter cough that has developed over the last few days, to complete today’s impressive run. Afterwards, Perrin accompanied members of her family on a shopping excursion on the Ile de Nantes.

If today’s experience is any indication, the international luge community has not heard the last from this young athlete.