Olsen Named Men’s U.S. National Bobsled Push Champion

Contact: Amanda Bird, USBSF Marketing & Communications Manager

(518) 523-1842, ext 106, abird@usbsf.com

For Immediate Release

September 17, 2009

 

Olsen Named Men’s U.S. National Bobsled Push Champion 

CALGARY, Canada- Sixteen athletes battled for the U.S. national title in the men’s bobsled push championships at the Canada Olympic Park Ice House in Calgary, Canada today.  Justin Olsen (San Antonio, Texas) added his second consecutive push championship title to his sliding resume in only his third competitive season.

“It feels god to be able to come back this year and defend my title,” said Olsen.  “It was a wild summer with frequent traveling, but today I told myself there isn’t a chance I’m going to let anyone beat me.”

Athletes pushed the sled from the right side, left side and brakes.  The average of the right and left side push times was added to the brake time for a combined total to determine the winner.

Olsen solidified himself as one of the top push athletes in the world after helping push Steven Holcomb to the four-man bobsled World Championship title last February.  Olsen led the U.S. field today after pushing an average side push time of 5.03 and a brake time of 5.01 for a combined total of 10.04 seconds.

Olsen tied his four-man world championship teammate Curt Tomasevicz (Shelby, Neb.) on the right side and brake pushes with a time of 5.06 and 5.01 seconds, respectively. 

“Every time Curt pushed today he put up such a fast time, and I knew there was no way he was going to let me walk away with the title without a fight,” said Olsen.

Olsen edged his teammate by pushing a 4.99 on the left side to nab the title by only one-hundredth of a second.  Tomasevicz finished second with a total time of 10.05 seconds, finishing more than a tenth of a second ahead of third place.

“I love to compete against Curt,” said Olsen.  “I have tremendous respect for him.  When I came into this sport a couple of years ago, I really looked up to the way Curt handled himself on and off the ice."

In third was Chuck Berkeley (Clayton, Calif.) with a total time of 10.19 seconds.  Berkeley finished third in the left side push with a 5.11 and fourth from the right side with a 5.13 for an average time of 5.12 seconds. After finishing from the brakes with a 5.07, Berkeley claimed third with a total of 10.19 seconds.

Chris Fogt (Alpine, Utah) returns to the sport this season after serving in the Army, and finished fourth today with a total time of 10.21 seconds.  In fifth was Jamie Moriarty (Winnetka, Ill.) with a time of 10.26 seconds, while TJ Burns (Blue Bell, Pa.) finished sixth with a combined time of 10.27 seconds. 

Drivers will select their teams for trials following today’s competition.  A selection committee consisting of the coaching staff, two athlete representatives, USBSF CEO and USBSF High Performance Director will select the national team based on a combination of combine test, push championship and team trials results.

“I haven’t stopped smiling since the combine test earlier this week,” said Brian Shimer, men’s bobsled head coach.  “I’m elated seeing the level of competition these athletes are at right now.  I wish I was one of the pilots going into Vancouver, because I would have loved to have had this group of guys behind me.”

The women’s competition will take place tomorrow, Friday, September 18^th. 

The U.S. Bobsled and Skeleton Federation would like to thank Experimental Design & Analysis Solutions, Inc./Ripxx (EDAS/RIPXX) for assisting the team today by providing testing services, equipment, analysis and reporting for the competition. 

For additional information, please contact Amanda Bird, USBSF Marketing & Communications Manager, at (518) 523-1842, ext. 106, or abird@usbsf.com. 

Results: average side push, brake (total):

1. Justin Olsen 5.03, 5.01 (10.04); 2. Curt Tomasevicz 5.04, 5.01 ( 10.05); 3. Chuck Berkeley 5.12, 5.07 (10.19); 4. Chris Fogt 5.15, 5.06 (10.21); 5. Jamie Moriarty 5.13, 5.13 (10.26); 6. TJ Burns 5.15, 5.12 (10.27); 7. Theron Johnson 5.19, 5.16 (10.35); 8. Hoy Thurman 5.22, 5.17 (10.39); 9. Bill Schuffenhauer 5.21, 5.21 (10.42); 10. Laszlo Vandracsek 5.24, 5.19 (10.43); 11. Randy Jones 521, 5.23 (10.44); 12. Nick Cunningham 5.29, 5.17 (10.46); 13. Alex Sprague 5.25, 5.21 (10.46); 14. Jesse Beckom 5.27, 5.20 (10.47); 15. Cory Butner 5.31, 5.26 (10.57); 16. Brock Kreitzburg 5.34, 5.29 (10.63);

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, 776 Original Marketing, KBC Helmets, Luminox Watch Company, EDAS/Ripxx 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.

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