USA Bobsled and Skeleton

Contact: Amanda Bird, USBSF Marketing & Communications Manager
(518) 354-2250, abird@usbsf.com

Skeleton team posts top 10 finishes in Youth Olympic Games

IGLS, Austria (Jan. 21, 2012)-The Youth Olympic Games skeleton team put forth a valiant effort while competing in snowy conditions today.  The women’s race was shortened to a one-heat contest after the first run was cancelled due to unfair conditions, while the men’s race ran as scheduled on the Olympic track in Igls, Austria. 

“We are really proud of our Youth Olympic Games team, and these athletes are great representatives for our country,” said Darrin Steele, Chief Executive Officer for the U.S. Bobsled and Skeleton Federation.  “They put together some respectable finishes for such a young team on a European track, which is something even our elite athletes struggle to do.  We expect great results from these athletes in the future and look forward to their continued development on our team.”

All three sliders finished in the top 10, which is an accomplishment for a young team competing on a European track for the first time. Anthony Herringshaw (Schenectady, N.Y.) finished seventh in the men’s race with a combined time of 1:58.16, and posted speeds up to 67 mph.  Elizabeth Maxwell (Draper, Utah) also finished seventh after clocking a run of 59.50 seconds in the shortened women’s race, while friend and teammate Timi Earl (Heber City, Utah) slid a run of 1:01.04 for ninth place.

Germans, Austrians and Canadians finished 1-2-3 in both the men’s and women’s races.  German Sebastian Berneker led the men’s field with a total time of 1:52.73, while Jacqueline Loelling established a large lead of 0.97 seconds to win the women’s race with a run of 57.43. 

Richard Geisler and Carina Mair claimed silver medals for the host nation.  Geisler clocked a two-run total of 1:54.70 to finish second in the men’s race, and Mair slid a run of 58.40 seconds to claim silver in the women’s event. Canadians Corey Gillies and Carli Brockway claimed bronze in their respective divisions.  Gillies slid to the finish in 1:55.82, while Brockway posted a run of 58.48 seconds.

The men's two-man bobsled race will take place tomorrow morning, where Codie Bascue and Jake Peterson are medal favorites. For media inquiries, please contact Amanda Bird, USBSF Marketing & Communications Manager, at abird@usbsf.com, or at (518) 354-2250. 

Results:

Women’s Skeleton:
1. Jacqueline Loelling (GER) 57.43; 2. Carina Mair (AUT) 58.40; 3. Carli Brockway (CAN) 58.48;…7. Elizabeth Maxwell (USA) 59.50;…9. Timi Earl (USA) 1:01.04;

Men’s Skeleton:
1. Sebastian Berkeker (GER) 1:52.73 (56.20, 56.53); 2. Stefan Geisler (AUT) 1:54.70 (57.11, 57.59); Corey Gillies (CAN) 1:55.82 (58.35, 57.47);…7. Anthony Herringshaw (USA) 1:58.16 (59.00, 59.16);

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: BMW of North America, Under Armour, United States National Guard, Kampgrounds of America, National Strength and Conditioning Association, Vivat!, Global Forwarding, KBC Helmets, Susan G. Komen for the Cure, EDAS/Ripxx, UberSense, Tesa Tape and Ferris Mfg. Corp. For more information, please visit the USBSF website at http://bobsled.teamusa.org.

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