Three-Time Olympian Maciej Kurowski Named Head Coach of Canadian Luge Team
CALGARY– Luge Canada is bringing one of Europe's respected coaching minds to Canada, appointing three-time Polish Olympian Maciej Kurowski as head coach to lead the program on the track to France 2030.
Kurowski brings nearly one decade of international coaching experience with him to the young Canadian squad.
“I have a special story that connects me with Canada. It was the first country I ever visited in North America. I made my World Cup debut in Calgary in 2006, and I also competed in my first Olympic Games in Vancouver 2010,” said Kurowski. “Throughout my career as an athlete, I always admired Team Canada. Watching how the program developed and grew stronger over the years was truly inspiring. Their commitment to excellence and continuous improvement left a lasting impression on me. That is one of the reasons why I am so excited to be the new coach of the Canadian team. I am highly motivated to work with the athletes, help them reach their full potential, and support them in achieving their dreams.”
Fresh off helping guide the Korean National Team to the 2026 Olympics where he worked alongside former Canadian coach, Wolfgang Staudinger, Kurowski also played a critical role in leading the development of the Korean luge program to fourth-place finishers in the team relay at the 2024 Youth Winter Olympic Games, and multiple top-10 performances on the World Cup.
Prior to joining Korea, Kurowski was head coach with the International Luge Federation's development program, where he successfully developed 10 athletes from emerging luge nations to qualification for the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games.
A three-time Olympian for Poland, Kurowski competed in Vancouver 2010, Sochi 2014 and PyeongChang 2018. He also represented his country at numerous World Championships and World Cup events. His firsthand understanding of elite performance and building positive team environments combined with a coaching philosophy rooted in science, evidence-based training and athlete development, has quickly established him as one of the sport's rising coaching leaders.
“Over the past 20 years, I have built a wide range of experience that I believe is my greatest strength and the biggest value I bring to this position. As an athlete, I spent 13 years on the Polish National Team and worked closely with the German National Team. I had the privilege of learning from some of the best coaches and athletes in the world. As Poland’s only men’s singles slider, I trained alongside Olympic and World Champions, and I closely observed how their coaches and mechanics approached every aspect of performance,” added Kurowski.
“Much of my knowledge is built on the German system – its technology, attention to detail, and strong work ethic. Those experiences shaped my understanding of what it takes to consistently perform at the highest level.”
As head coach, Kurowski will oversee Luge Canada's high-performance program, leading athlete development and daily training while working closely with integrated support staff to prepare Canadian athletes for success on the international stage.
"Maciej is exactly the type of leader we were looking for to guide our program into the next Olympic cycle," said Tim Farstad, executive director, Luge Canada. "He brings an exceptional combination of Olympic experience, technical expertise and a collaborative leadership style. His commitment to continuous improvement, evidence-based coaching and athlete development aligns perfectly with the direction we want to take as an organization. We're excited to welcome him to Canada and continue developing and supporting our new generation of luge athletes."
Kurowski's appointment comes as Luge Canada readies itself to slide into a new Olympic quadrennial with a focus on developing Canada’s top feet-first sliders towards their performance goals on the track to 2030.
“What motivates me even more is the potential I see in this group of athletes. I truly believe they have the talent and ability to achieve great things, and that inspires me to work as hard as I can to help them succeed. I want to create an environment where they can continue to grow, perform at their best, and achieve their goals together,” said Kurowski.
“I truly believe that if we work together as one united team, we can bring out the best in every individual. By combining our efforts and working toward a common goal, we can raise the overall level of performance and achieve the results this team is capable of. Success in high-performance sport comes when everyone is moving in the same direction.”
The Canadian Luge Association is a not-for-profit organization responsible for governing the sport of luge across the country. With the financial backing of from the Government of Canada, Canadian Olympic Committee and Own the Podium, the Canadian Luge Association safely recruits and develops the nation’s current and future high-performance luge athletes with the goal of regularly climbing onto the international podium. For more information on the Canadian Luge Association, please visit us at www.luge.ca on the Internet.