Greubel and Berkeley Win Bobsled Push Championship Qualifiers
Amanda Bird August 22, 2009
Contact: Amanda Bird, USBSF Marketing & Communications Manager
(518) 523-1842, ext 106, abird@usbsf.com
For Immediate Release
August 22, 2009
Greubel and Berkeley Win Bobsled Push Championship Qualifiers
Lake Placid, N.Y.–Bobsled team selection for the 2009-10 season began today with Push Championship Qualifiers in Lake Placid, N.Y. The top three women and top six men will qualify for Push Championship Finals in Calgary, Canada from September 13-20, where national team drivers will select their push athletes for team trials this October.
Full results can be found by clicking here.
“We have one of the highest quality pool of athletes I’ve ever seen in my 24 years of involvement with this sport,” said Brian Shimer, men’s bobsled head coach. “I think we will have the fastest push teams in the world this year.”
The women’s field was ranked by each athlete’s best time out of two pushes. Jamie Greubel (Newtown, Pa.) convincingly won the women’s Push Championship Qualifier by 0.12 seconds with a push time of 5.05 to earn her spot to the finals in Calgary.
“Deciding to become a resident at the Olympic Training Center in Lake Placid this summer was one of the best decisions I made,” said Greubel. “Having a great strength coach, sports medicine and everything taken care of here so I can train hard helped me focus. This week I came out with the mindset I do everyday, which is to just stick to my routine and stay relaxed. It feels good to have my hard work pay off.”
In second was Ingrid Marcum (Elmhurst, Ill.) with a push time of 5.16 seconds. Marcum is a dual athlete and was crowned the National Weightlifting Champion in the women’s 75-kg division this June. Tracy Call (Minneapolis, Minn.) finished third with a push time of 5.27 seconds to claim the final qualifying spot for the women.
The men were allowed three pushes and were ranked based on their best brakeman and side push times combined. Charles Berkeley (Clayton, Calif.) begins his third season in the sport with a victory after winning today’s competition with a total time of 9.30 seconds. Berkeley pushed 4.61 seconds from the brakeman position, and 4.69 seconds from the side push to claim the lead.
“Garrett Hines [2002 Olympic silver medalist] helped me improve, and I really owe him a lot for getting me to this point,” said Berkeley. “I was really nervous today because my timing has been off and you never know how anyone else will perform. It’s nice coming away with a victory. It was a close competition, but a win is a win, so I’m happy.”
Chris Fogt (Alpine, Utah), a member of the Army World Class Athlete Program, finished second with a total time of 9.35 seconds after pushing 4.64 from the brakes and 4.71 from the side.
In third with a total time of 9.38 seconds was Theron Johnson (Wheaton, Md.), who began the sport of bobsled during the 2006-07 season. Johnson pushed 4.67 from the brakes and 4.71 from the side to claim the third position.
Claiming the final three qualifying positions was Hoy Thurman (Warner Robins, Ga.) with a total time of 9.41, 2002 Olympic silver medalist Randy Jones (Mableton, Ga.) with a two-run total of 9.50, and rookie Laszlo Vandracsek (Phoenix, Ariz.) with a combined time of 9.51.
Caleb Campbell (Perryton, Texas) finished tenth today with a two-run total of 9.59 seconds after pushing a 4.74 from the brakes and a 4.85 from the side. Campbell was invited to the 2008 NFL Combine and was selected in the seventh round of the 2008 draft by the Detroit Lions. He was unable to solidify an agreement after the Army ordered him to serve his military service, preventing him from playing football until at least 2010. Campbell is now vying for a spot on the 2010 Olympic bobsled team and may be selected to a team going into team trials this fall.
Today’s competition also included a race for the pilots, which did not count as a qualifier for Calgary. Ryan Mertens (Jefferson City, Mo.) led the field with the fastest push of the competition, 4.88 seconds. Jay Noller (San Antonio, Texas) finished second with a push time of 4.92, while John Bagley (Salt Lake City, Utah) claimed third in 5.05 seconds.
Experimental Design & Analysis Solutions, Inc./Ripxx (EDAS/RIPXX) assisted the team today by providing testing services, equipment, analysis and reporting for the competition.
“We’ll be working with EDAS with these accelerometers for the sleds throughout the Olympic year,” said Shimer. “It helps us take our training to another level with quick feedback, and we look forward to continuing the relationship and learning more about how to apply their systems to bobsled.”
For additional information, please contact Amanda Bird, USBSF Marketing & Communications Manager, at (518) 523-1842, ext. 106, or abird@usbsf.com.
Results:
Women’s Bobsled:
1. Jamie Greubel (5.04); 2. Ingrid Marcum (5.16); 3. Tracy Call (5.27); 4. Jazmine Fenlator (5.29); 5. Kelechi Anyanwu (5.67); 6. Sumya Anani (5.91);
Men’s Bobsled (Brake Push, Side Push):
1. Charles Berkeley (4.61, 4.69) 9.30; 2. Chris Fogt (4.64, 4.71) 9.35; 3. Theron Johnson (4.67, 4.71) 9.38; 4. Hoy Thurman (4.65, 4.76) 9.41; 5. Randy Jones (4.73, 4.77) 9.50; 6. Laszlo Vandracsek (4.74, 4.77) 9.51; 7. Cory Butner (4.74, 4.78) 9.52; 8. Jacob Miller (4.77, 4.78) 9.55; 8. Tim O’Mara (4.75, 4.80) 9.55; 10. Caleb Campbell (4.74, 4.85) 9.59; 11. Aaron King (4.77, 4.89) 9.66; 12. Justin Orr (4.81, 4.87) 9.68; 13. Travis Armbruster (4.82, 4,90) 9.72; 14. Jeremy White (4.83, 4.90) 9.73; 15. Casey Strickland (4.87, 4.99) 9.86; 16. Ben Fogel (4.93, 4.96) 9.89; 16. Daniel Duckworth (4.92, 4.97) 9.89; 18. Ryan Greer (4.97, 5.10) 10.07; 19. Joshua Barrow (5.11, 5.14) 10.25; 20. Vance Newgard (5.06, 5.22) 10.28; 21. Bryce Morgan (5.10, 5.28) 10.38; 22. Garrett Hines (4.79, 5.81) 10.60; 23. Joseph Whisher (5.29, 5,35) 10.64; 24. Justin Greenway (5.22, 5.49) 10.71; 25. Nate Mousseau (5.34, 5.49) 10.83);
Pilots:
1. Ryan Mertens (4.88); 2. Jay Noller (4.92); 3. John Bagley (5.05); 4. Mike Bradley (5.13); 5. Bryan Berghorn (5.65);
About the U.S. Bobsled and Skeleton Federation
The United States Bobsled and Skeleton Federation, based in Lake Placid, N.Y., is the national governing body for the sports of bobsled and skeleton in the United States. The USBSF would like to thank its sponsors, suppliers and contributors for their support: Allianz Life, Under Armour, Vilter Manufacturing, KBC Helmets, Luminox Watch Company, and Ferris Mfg. Corp. The USBSF would also like to thank the following sponsors and suppliers for their partner, the Bo-Dyn Bobsled Project: Whelen Engineering, PPG, Columbia Sportswear, JEGS Automotive, Lucas Oil, Mac Tools, EXA, Lumber Liquidators, Lincoln Electronics and Racing Electronics. For more information, please visit the USBSF website at http://bobsled.teamusa.org.
###
Rate It
Signin to rank content.
Related Photo Galleries
-
Team Building, National Team Camp 2008 June 27, 2008
-
2007-08 Season June 02, 2008
