THE 23/24 COMPETITION SEASON KICKS OFF WITH NATIONAL BOBSLED PUSH CHAMPIONSHIPS
by Abby Slenker
LAKE PLACID, N.Y. (Oct 2, 2023) - USA Bobsled/Skeleton (USABS) kicked off the 2023/2024 sliding competition season with the 2023 National Bobsled Push Championships.
The event, hosted in the only indoor push track in America, is the first step for bobsled athletes in their journey to be selected to a team (North American Cup [NAC] or World Cup). Their overall push time as well as velocity are measured.
The competition, taking place Sept 26, 28 and 30, featured solo and two-person combo pushes for the women and solo, two-person and three-person combos for the men.
The awards ceremony took place after events wrapped up Sept 30 with prizes being awarded to the top-scoring pilots (based on combined times) as well as the top three push athletes for both men and women.
For female pilots, Kaysha Love took home first place. For male pilots, Kris Horn secured the top spot. Both individuals competed in the 2022 Olympic Games as push athletes and have since been transitioning to the drivers’ seat.
Emily Renna placed first in the female push athlete category, followed by Jasmine Jones in second and Cassidy Orban in third. In the male push athlete category, Hakeem Abdul-Saboor placed first, Dallas Robinson took second, and Carsten Vissering finished third.
“It is very apparent that the athletes have done a lot of work this off-season. With hours and hours in the weight room and sprint track, many are coming into the season stronger and faster than they have ever been before. They have utilized the Ice House for push training and it is clear that work is paying off. I am excited to see the improvements for this year,” Curt Tomasevicz, Director of Sport Performance, shared.
Looking forward for these bobsled athletes, the next step is Selection Races which will take place Oct 31 through Nov 4 (Oct 31 and Nov 2 for skeleton athletes and Nov 2 and Nov 4 for bobsled athletes), marking the first competition of the season on the full outdoor track versus the indoor push track at Mt. Vanhoevenberg in Lake Placid.
Skeleton National Push Championships are also right around the corner, spanning the week of Oct 8 - 15.
###
About USA Bobsled/Skeleton
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.