THE IBSF NORTH AMERICAN CUP KICKS OFF IN LAKE PLACID
by Abby Slenker
LAKE PLACID, N.Y. (Nov 19, 2023) - The IBSF North American Cup (NAC) kicked off at Mt. Van Hoevenberg, marking the first outdoor competition of the 2023/2024 sliding season for the stars and stripes. This even also coincided with USABS’ Bobsled Selection Races presented by Ororo Heated Apparel.
The event began on November 15th with 2-Man Bobsled and Women’s Monobob. In 2-Man, Frankie Del Duca and Josh Williamson slid into first with a two-heat combined time of 1:53.64. Geoff Gadbois and Darius Joseph placed third with a time of 1:54.63. Kris Horn and Adrian Adams came in fourth with their 1:54.74 total run time while Shane Fisher and Collin Storms placed ninth with a time of 2:00.54.
Also on the 15th, Kaysha Love won gold in Women’s Monobob with her 2:03.11 combined run time. Lauren Brzozowski placed fourth with a time of 2:04.02, Sylvia Hoffman came in 5th with a time of 2:04.25 and Riley Tejck placed sixth with a time od 2:04.63.
The 16th brought more 2-Man and Monbob races. Pilot Del Duca placed first again along with Manteo Michell in 2-Man with a time of 1:53.80. Gadbois and Carsten Vissering placed third with a time of 1:54.85. Horn and David Simon placed fourth with a time of 1:54.97. Grady Mercer and Storms came in eighth with a time of 2:01.29.
Monobob on the 16th brought another win for Love with her time of 2:02.39. Brzozowski placed third after a two-heat total of 2:03.60, Hoffman came in fourth with her 2:03.78 time and Tejcek came in fifth with a combined time of 2:04.15.
The 17th marked the beginning of Men’s and Women’s Skeleton competitions. In the men’s division, Nick Tucker placed third with a two-run time of 1:53.37. Bradley Nicol came in tenth with a time of 1:54.12, Nick Brooks placed 13th with a time of 1:55.01, Darryl Payne Jr. placed 16th with a time of 1:58.50 and Andrew Whittier-Nieses rounded out the pack in 17th with a 1:59.64 time.
In Women’s Skeleton, Katie Uhlaender placed second with her 1:54.82 finish, Sha’Londa Terry came in fourth with a time of 1:57.95 and Logan Wudi had a fifth place finish with a time of 1:58.07.
Men’s and Women’s Skeleton concluded on the 18th. In the Men’s Division, Nicol slid into third with a combined time of 1:53.36, Tucker placed fourth with a time of 1:53.43, Brooks cane in tenth with a time of 1:56.02, Payne placed 14th with his 1:57.17 time and Whittier-Nieses placed 15th with his 1:58.14 time.
In Women’s Skeleton, Uhlaender won gold with her time of 1:54.42. Wudi placed fourth with time of 1:58.82 and Terry placed sixth with a time of 1:59.97.
The 18th concluded with the Day 1 of 2-Woman and 4-Man Bobsled. In 2-Woman, Love and Jestena Mattson placed first with a time of 1:57.53 after two runs.Tejcek and Emily Renna placed third with a time of 1:58.86, Brzozowski and Macy Tarlton came in fourth with a time of 1:59.12 and Hoffman and Jasmine Jones placed fifth with a time of 1:59.50.
Day 1 of 4-Man was a one-heat competition. Horn, Simon, Jace Johnson and Adams earned silver with a single-run time of 57.22. Gadbois, Storms, Joseph and Vissering followed close behind in third with a time of 57.53.
Events came to a close with more 2-Woman races and 4-Man races on the 19th. Love earned her fourth first-place finish in a row along with teammate Azaria Hill with a time of 1:56.72. Brzozowski and Tarlton placed third with a time of 1:58.66, Tejcek and Sydney Milani came in fourth with a time of 1:58.82 while Hoffman and Mattson came in fifth with a time of 1:59.82.
Finally, Day 2 of 4-Man Bobsled took place, this time in the form of a two-heat competition. Horn, Johnson, Adams and Simon were victorious with a top time of 1:54.21. Gadbois, Vissering, Joseph and Storms placed second with a time of 1:54.53.
"The athletes have waited a long time to get back on the ice and begin competing,” shared Curt Tomesevicz, Director of Sport Performance for USABS. “So, it was very rewarding to see so many great results. It is the reward of a lot of hard work in the off-season."
NAC races will continue up north in Whistler, CA on November 29. For full race results, visit IBSF’s website.
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About USA Bobsled/Skeleton (USABS)
USA Bobsled/Skeleton is the national governing body for the sports of bobsled and skeleton racing in the United States. Based in Lake Placid, NY, USA Bobsled/Skeleton oversees the development and training of American athletes at all levels of competition.