Olympic Season Underway

Contact: Amanda Bird, USBSF Marketing & Communications Manager

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

For Immediate Release

October 5, 2009

Olympic Season Underway 

LAKE PLACID, N.Y.- The U.S. bobsled and skeleton team reunited at the Olympic Sports Complex in Lake Placid, N.Y. today for the first day of sliding in the 2009-2010 season. 

“When we first walked up to the track I felt like we hadn’t left yet,” said world champion Steven Holcomb (Park City, Utah).  “It’s kind of like riding a bike, just at 90 mph.  The first day is one of the hardest because you’re not used to the speed, and there’s no way to prepare for that.”

The last time many of the bobsled and skeleton athletes were on ice was during the 2009 World Championships in Lake Placid last February, where the U.S. team celebrated the success of Holcomb’s victory in the four-man competition, bronze in the two-man, and Shauna Rohbock’s (Park City, Utah) silver medal performance in women’s bobsled.

“This is one of the hardest tracks in the world, so every track we go to from here will be easier,” said Holcomb.  “It’s always an advantage to start the season in Lake Placid.  The track is in good condition and we’ll try to get as many runs as possible before we head to Whistler for training week.”

Eleven pilots will be competing in the U.S. bobsled team selection races, including world medalist Holcomb, Olympic medalists Rohbock, Todd Hays (Del Rio, Texas) and Mike Kohn (Myrtle Beach, S.C.), U.S. national champions John Napier (Lake Placid, N.Y.) and Bree Schaaf (Bremerton, Wash.), and world cup medalist Erin Pac (Farmington, Conn.). 

Twenty-six skeleton athletes will be vying for a position on the team, including previous world cup champions Noelle Pikus-Pace (Orem, Utah) and Zach Lund (Salt Lake City, Utah), world medalist Eric Bernotas (Avondale, Pa.), and world cup medalist Matt Antoine (Prairie du Chien, Wisc.).

Antoine claimed the world cup bronze medal on the 2010 Olympic course in Whistler last February and capped the season ranked USA I in a breakthrough year. 

“Last year was a really good year,” said Antoine.  “Today is the start to a new year, so now I need to put the work in to make it happen again.  It’s exciting and fun to be back on ice and to have the Olympic season underway.  It also definitely helps to slide on one of the first tracks in the world to be open, because in the beginning of the year runs are the premium.  The more you take, the better you will be.”

The world cup team will be named based on the athletes that have the highest number of points after a series of four selection races.  Two races will be held in Lake Placid on October 14-15, and two competitions will take place in Park City on October 23-24.  The top three sleds in each discipline will earn a spot on the world cup circuit.

The Olympic Regional Development Authority (ORDA) will be hosting an Olympic Region Send-off at Mids Park on Main Street, Lake Placid on Saturday, October 10 at 6:00 pm.  The public is invited to celebrate athletes training in Lake Placid before departing for the Olympic season, including participants in bobsled, skeleton, luge, biathlon, cross country, freestyle skiing, nordic combined and ski jumping.

Media interested in attending any of the training sessions or competitions should contact Amanda Bird, USBSF Marketing & Communications Manager, at (518) 523-1842, ext. 106, or abird@usbsf.com. 

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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