LUGE: The first international luge competition for the 2013/14 Olympic Qualfication season took place over the weekend in Lillehammer, Norway and Aussie teenager Alex Ferlazzo started the season in flying form.

The 18-year-old from Townsville recorded a great result for his first senior World Cup race, despite putting down what he thought to be a sub-standard run.

With the race split into two parts for broadcast purposes, Ferlazzo was in the second tier race - the Nation's Cup, but exceeded expectations, to finish 24th, in a total time of 50.852 seconds, 1.117 off the leader.

The result placed him 38th overall. With four World Cups still to be contested, Ferlazzo is sitting on 28th in the Olympic adjusted rankings and with a total of 38 places on offer for men, is well-placed for his Olympic debut.

"It's very exciting news," Ferlazzo's coach and two-time Olympian Hannah Campbell-Pegg said. "Alex beat some good athletes from other nations. He turned a few heads and also upset quite a few people in the race."

Ferlazzo is no stranger to turning heads and making history. The young slider competed at the inaugural Winter Youth Olympics in Innsbruck last year and then went on to win a bronze medal at the Junior World Cup in 2013, Australia's first luge medal at this level.

Ferlazzo's teammate Dan Newton from South Australia was 37th in the Nation's Cup in a personal best time of 52.422, placing him 51st overall in the event and giving him an adjusted standing of 41st.

"Dan has a very good chance also," Campbell-Pegg added. "He is only three places behind the qualifying and it will be touch and go in the next few races. By week 3 we will have a fair idea of where the others are placed."

In the women's Nation Cup, 18-year-old Ashley Cooney was 36th in 51.135, a new personal best. The Perth-based athlete was  2.794 seconds behind race-winner Ekaterina Baturina of Russia, ending on an eventual 40th place. The road for Cooney to qualify is tough, but with four races still pending and the young former-gymnast continuing to improve, anything could happen.