TEAM USA COMPLETES THEIR LAST WORLD CUP BEFORE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

ALTENBERG, GERMANY (February 18, 2024) - USA Bobsled/Skeleton (USABS) completed the last leg of the IBSF World Cup races before the World Championships begin next week in Winterberg. 

Events kicked off on a high note with Mystique Ro placing third in Women’s Skeleton with a time of 1:56.70. 

“This week has been a challenge, a roller coaster of emotions with everything that has happened with both sliding disciplines. So Coach Antoine and I wanted to approach race day and keep it simple, focus on two key sections and push fast. I am happy with today, a vast improvement from my World Cup debut last year,” shared Ro about her performance.

Also in Women’s Skeleton, Katie Uhlaender placed 11th with a time of 1:57.17 and Sara Roderick placed 26th with a one-run time of 1:00.17.

In Men’s Skeleton, Austin Florian placed eighth with a time of 1:53.12. Dan Barefoot placed 24th with a time of 1:55.76 and Hunter Williams placed 28th with a one-run time of 58.87.

“Conditions were tough today with the warm weather. Unfortunately, some got put in a position where they had to fight a slowing track. Mystique as always put down fantastic pushes to keep herself in the mix during the first run and was able to use that to her advantage run two to chase those down in front of her. Another great result and she continues to grow and improve each week. Austin shows his resilience as well in the race. He got put in a tough spot with the weather for run one. Run two he was able to better show where he is at with a 3rd-place run,” Matt Antoine, Head USA Skeleton Coach, shared. 

In the Skeleton Mixed Team event, Uhlaender and Florian placed third with a combined time (one run each, Uhleander 1:02.33 and Florian 59.33) of 2:01.66. Roderick and Barefoot also competed, placing ninth with individual runs of 1:02.17 and 1:00.38 and a combined time of 2:02.55.

“The team race was great! It is a fun event and it is new so they are still ironing out some kinks but it is going well! We are excited to get a podium and even more excited to take some of that momentum into Worlds!” Florian shared about his bronze finish. 

“It was my first ever team race, and it was a great experience. I am so proud of Austin and how well he did, especially after the poor luck we had with the weather in the individual races,” Uhlaender shared as well.

On the 17th, the action continued with Women’s Monobob and 2-Man Bobsled. In monobob, Elana Meyers Taylor placed second with a time of 2:01.52, Kaysha Love placed 10th with a time of 2:02.87 and Sylvia Hoffman made her first appearance as a monobob pilot on the World Cup circuit with a time of 2:03.52 earning her 16th place. 

In 2-Man, Frank Del Duca and Manteo Mitchell placed eighth with a time of 1:52.57. Kris Horn and Darius Joseph also competed and placed 20th with a one-run time of 58.04.

On the 18th, after Meyers Taylor and Jasmine Jones experienced a crash in the first heat, the decision was made to withdraw from the second heat to focus on the upcoming World Championships.

In the Europe Cup (EC) circuit, Team USA competed in Innsbruck, Austria. On February 9, the events kicked off with Race 1 of Women’s and Men’s Skeleton. In Men’s Skeleton, Nick Tucker placed 14th with a time of 1:48.05, Darryl Payne placed 24th with a time of 1:49.26, and Sam Allred placed 35 with a time of 55.77. In Race 1 for Women’s Skeleton, Michelle Toukan placed 12th with a one-run time of 55.27. 

On the 10th, Race 2 took place for both men and women. In Men’s Skeleton, Tucker placed 14th with a time of 1:46.70, Payne placed 25th with a time of 1:48.65 and Allred placed 32nd with a one-run time of 54.91. In Women’s Skeleton, Toukan placed fifth with a time of 1:49.46.

World Championships kick off next week with opening ceremonies on February 21 in Winterberg, Germany.

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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.